[SCA-cooks] I quit

[Siegfried Heydrich]

    Appeal the their sense of honor and chivalry. Well, the ones who have
them, at least. And don't be shy about asking people for assistance, either.
If you're in distress, sing out! "HEY! CAN SOMEONE GIVE ME A BOOST UP HERE?"
Anyone with any colored belt should immediately spring into action. If they
don't, make a mental note of whose badge they're wearing, and go complain to
their peer. If the circles are aware of the situation, they'll lean on their
associates to do something about it, at least the Pellies will. Can't speak
for other circles . . .
    Appeal to their better natures. This is the SCA, so we're assuming that
they HAVE them, of course. Well, some of them, anyway. Don't threaten, all
that does as make 'em stubborn. Work it so they can make a display of their
magnanimous nature; "see what noble creatures we are? we're helping the
handicapped!". Given an opportunity to puff themselves up, the PTB will see
to it that their respective minions take care of things.
    This seems to kind of parallel something I've been watching for quite a
while, the slow decline of courtliness and chivalrous behavior in general.
It used to be that ladies didn't go about unescorted, or had a lord to carry
bulky items for them. But of late, that seems to have been on the wane.
    Last crown list, I watched from across the field as a lady struggled
with an obviously heavy cooler, dragged it past a group of knights and
squires. They were at least polite enough to get out of her way as she went
by . . . I headed over, but by the time I got there, she was where she was
going. I was going to say something to the belted stick jocks, but didn't
bother. I have enough problems on my hands without getting the chivalry all
pissed off by pointing out their deficiencies. Besides, pointing out their
deficiencies would have taken more time than I had available . . .
    I think this is just another symptom of a worsening problem. The decline
of courtesy and manners in the real world is being reflected in the SCA as
well, which is a real shame. A lot of us joined the SCA just to have a
refuge where courtesy and manners and all of those noble sounding ideals
were still valued, and we're slowly watching it all degrade . . .

    Sieggy