SCA.D.D. - an SCA rant

There’s something about an SCA event that is like a laser-light show to an attention-deficit child who just sucked down his 11^th pixie stick. There are so many colors, and sounds, and sights, and faces that a lot of people get really excited and, I believe, sometimes tend to forget some very basic manners.

 

Just as an example, at one point on Saturday I found myself sitting in my chair talking to a friend of mine sitting next to me – or at least I was trying to. As I began the conversation, the subject-of-which I knew she would be interested in, another person appeared out of the blue, interrupting me mid-sentence, to announce that they had arrived, ask what is going on, say hello, act bubbly, etc. Following the interruption, I started over, only to be interrupted again by a second person. This then happened again…

…and again…

… and yet again!…

 

By the fifth time I started repeating the exact same sentence only to be interrupted by somebody barging in, I remember uttering a very loud, “Oh come OOOON already!!!!!” to nobody in particular, frustrated as all get-out by the constant barrage of interruption from people who just had-to-had-to-had-to stop by, say hello, and hold some form of small talk. At this point, giving up on trying to have a conversation, I just got up from my chair to wander around and cool off.

 

I cannot say that I was really angry at any one person in particular. Nor can I say that any one person did anything in particular that was so egregiously rude as to cause offense. But the repetition of the same exact impolite behavior five times in a row really made my blood boil. I mean seriously, whatever happened to just basic, old fashioned, politeness?

If two people are speaking, and are clearly in the middle of a conversation, there is nothing wrong with standing there quietly. But for cryin’ out loud – WAIT YOUR TURN! Wait until there is a lull in the conversation. Wait until you have a clear signal. Or in the very least, WAIT UNTIL THE PERSON FINISHES SPEAKING A SENTENCE!

 

I really hope I’m not sounding like the grumpy old man, shaking his cane at the kids on the lawn, but seriously people – as adults, we should show each other some basic respect and courtesy. Such a repeated violation of common respect made me think that I had walked into a kindergarten class, as opposed to a grouping of adults. I understand we’re all happy to be there. I understand we’re all happy to see each other. I understand we’re all excited. But still, I don’t think that should excuse leaving our manners in the trunk.

 

Am I off-base here?