I will also be at Bouchercon. I was registered for the
convention but just tonight made my hotel reservation at the
Intercontinental, which is as close to being the host hotel
as you can find since the con is in a convention
center.
I hesitated at the cost but I always regret skipping
Bouchercon, especially when I hear all the stories
later.
I stopped doing banquets--gee, it was the last time the
Bouchercon was in Toronto. First a waiter serving our table
noticed that I was using the wrong fork. He picked it up from
where it was resting on the plate, wiped it off and returned
it to the lineup. He then picked up the correct fork and
dropped it with a clatter on my plate. The entire table
(mostly friends) fell on the floor laughing. It was such a
fantastic snotty waiter bit that I would sign up again if I
could be guaranteed to get the same A-Hole.
It was the second incident that gives me pause. A second
waiter walked behind me carrying a tray of glass goblets full
of ice water. I was in the midst of discussing mystery plots
when just as I said the word "jeopardy" one of the full
goblets fell from the tray onto my head. I almost wrote that
it was an unintentionally dramatic moment but in reality it
was an unintentionally comedic moment. While I wanted to jump
up and pimp slap the clumsy fool (it did hurt), I realized
that I had been cast in the role of the clown for that
evening and there was nothing I could do about it. So I
delicately wiped the water from my eyes, gave them my best
Oliver Hardy and swore off Bouchercon banquets.
I will say that at the first Minneapolis Bouchercon the
magician hired to entertain was the greatest unintentionally
funny act I have ever seen. He had carefully devised an act
geared for a mystery audience. The problem developed when
none of his tricks worked and he desperately sought to carry
on. Feed Crider enough Dr. Peppers in Toronto and he'll tell
the story or point you to Steve Stilwell, the man
responsible. The Stilwell version will cost you a single malt
but the bonus is you get to see a guy on a heart transplant
waiting list go apoplectic.
Richard Moore
<<
Date: Mon, 5 Jul 2004 22:38:56 -0400 (EDT)
From: William Denton <
buff@pobox.com>
Subject: Re: RARA-AVIS: Bouchercon (Toronto, Oct
7-10)
On 5 July 2004, Karin Montin wrote:
: Bill and Jim, I'm convinced--I've got better ways to
spend 75 bucks, but
: I'll definitely turn up for a low-cost RA meeting.
Bill, I think you've
: volunteered to be the organizer, right?
Sure, I can arrange something at a nice place. Lots of
time to plan that.
I'll ask in September to find out how many people are
interested.
Bill
- -- >>
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