Why I joined the SCA as told by Robert McRegan called STU Well here's my story. It's a little long. Sorry... Well it was only about 4 years ago when I first heard about the S.C.A. I was in my first simester at college and was coming home for the weekend, like I always did, when I decided to stop off at a friends house to see if he had any plans for the weekend. Well when I got to his house he was outside packing up his car and wearing the stupidest looking clothes I had ever seen. (tights and a tunic) So I got out of My truck and asked him where he was going, and why he was dressed like a circus clown. he said that he was going to an Gaming convention slash S.C.A event. I had heard about the S.C.A from other people only I heard that it was some kind of martial arts school that used real weapons, (of corse I thought these people were crazy) but a gaming convention sounded like alot of fun, and I had no plans so I thought "what the hell" and agreed to go with him . He said that I would have to wear some "garb" and handed me what he called a tunic. Now I'm sure on him this looked like a tunic, but seeing as how he was 6'-2" tall and I was only 5'-4" it was more like a dress. Needless to say I looked, and felt, Stupid. Well we end up driving for about an hour to get to a hotel in West Memphis. And there are all these people there talking and having a good time. I signed in with a guy that looked like he could pass for James Hetfeild of Matalica. He said his name was Kane. He seemend like an allright guy. It wasn't until later that I learned that he was the guy in-charge of the people running the Con . Well many, many hours later after most everyone had gone to bed (I was staying awake due to shortsightedness. I didn't have a room.) That's when I met a woman that called herself Pepper. She was working security and asked if I would talk to her to help keep her awake. Honestly I think she saw how bored I was and that I could use someone to talk to. We talked through most of the night, and she explained what the S.C.A was like and even told me tht she was a fighter and would be fighting in the "barrier tourny" the next day. I proceded to ask questions about the fighting, and she told me that I would just have to see it for myself. So the next day I went to where all the fighting was going to be taking place, and looked for Pepper. When I found her she was unloading a large bag, and a few large sticks. She asked me if I would help her put on her armor, I agreed, and then she said something to me that I will never forget: "All-right you baby's go sit on the curb, Momma's gonna go beat up this Knight." For the next couple of hours I watched the fighting, intrigued and fascinated by what I saw. They wern't using "real" weapons, but they WERE crazy, and at that moment I wanted nothing more than to be crazy with them. So I spent the next two months getting my armor together and when it was all done (which is another story all together) I asked my friend Jake when and where the next event was. He said "It's in March, in Mississippi" And the rest is History . . . Literally Rixa may never remember this, and probly doen't even know how much she influenced me into joining the S.C.A, But I'll never forget those few days at Shadow Con I. And I want to say thank you Rixa for helping me join a group of people that I can truly call friends.