AAR Bummers

[wade03]

Re: AAR Bummers

I enjoyed the event overall, even after contemplating that for a while. I want to thank all the guys in the 63rd Illinois for having me and doing such a good job of keeping up everyone’s spirits during our long march up and down every hill in and around camp Thunder.

I do have to say that the event was the most realistic experience I have had thus far. Soldiers were tired, cold, hungry, sore, and mad at officers all the time. To experience it was a bitter sweet experience that can better be appreciated thinking back on it. I did enjoy the attack the Federals made up the felled hill guarded by the Militia with a cannon. We were actually fighting at accurate distances, instead of being really close. Raiding the cabins and wagons was neat as well. The civilians were great! Hanging out in camp and sharing rations with my guys was fun as always.

As for the bad of the event, most of which was out of the organizers hands. The shooting in the dark Friday night was a little pointless since I could hardly see the man in front of me let alone a target to fire at. Also some of the food was out of season for November, but that is nothing to whine about. The water was an issue for some. Personally if I was seriously worried about I would have just boiled some of the water in any of the numerous creeks all over the place. Also I was a little disappointed in the amount of folks that bailed the event.

Thanks to the event organizers for putting this one on and all the hard work it was to put this thing on! I really appreciate it.

Wade Rogers

[robert-m]

Re: AAR Bummers

Gentlemen I would like to only say this. WE MAY B!TCH ALL WE WANT. WE ONLY ENDURED LESS THAN 48 HOURS OF THE EVENT. The men that did this same style things we did this weekend, DID IT DAY IN AND DAY OUT. One of the biggest reasons I wanted to go to bummers was for a more realistic feel and ideals of what to believe and expect from the men that have gone before us. Did the event go as smooth as we all would have liked it to. NO. they never do. But all in all we a now have a new perceptive on what it was like for our forefathers in the war. We were practically guaranteed food and water. They were NOT. To all the event staff thank you very much this event was more than i expected. In the realization of what really happened and the hobby of re-enacting. I hope to have events like this very soon. I am glad to have served under you.
Gods Speed.

Robert Melville
Co. B 11th Geo militia

[Trish Hasenmueller]

Re: AAR Bummers

Bummers AAR

We didn't start out to be 'angels'. It's interesting how pre-conceived decisions can be changed. (More later...present-day observations are in parentheses.)

Having been abandoned in who-knows-where rural Georgia my sister, Mrs. Key, my cousin, Miss Metts and I were doing our best to be comfortable in the wilderness. Our hired wagon-driver had left us and a wagon-load of household goods, with no mule and traces on the roadside the day before this story starts. We were happy to have enough food for the time being and hoped we could find a driver and mule so we could continue our journey to South Carolina.

We were aghast when a group of Georgia militia set up camp just down the road from us, complete with cannon! They told us that we might expect the Union Army at any time.

From time to time we saw various local people and travelers walking down the road. One family, the Blunts, along with a young wife whose husband was in the army, decided to camp across from us and spent some pleasant time around our fire. They were on foot because they had ridden the cars as far as they could to the end of the line. Mr. Blunt seemed nervous about the militia down from us and when a cavalry group came along he took to the woods and hid. We shared some coffee and ginger snaps with the men on horseback. Later Mrs. Blunt let us know that they were afraid that the army might take him. They moved on about dawn after telling us that a large group of men were coming our way.

At around 6:30 a rough group of militia woke us from a sound sleep! They said they had to search our camp for “anything that could be used by the enemy.” Later they explained that that could be any government document or weapons. Our cousin, Angela, was sleeping in the wagon so we asked them not to go in there. She heard the ruckus and decided to take her time waking. That was a smart decision on her part since our shotgun was hidden in the wagon. Before I was even out of bed one young man asked me if our privy was what he thought it was...I said, yes, it was what he thought it was and that sometimes a necessity is a luxury. As it turned out, the men were in too big a hurry to wait for Angela to wake and come out of the wagon, or maybe they forgot about searching it. After taking part of our food, including two hams, they left and we made a decision to find a better place to hide the shotgun. We found a place, alright! We rolled the shotgun up in Sharon's new painted floor cloth and hid it under the canvas floor under our privy box and then camouflaged it with some of the fallen branches that were all over the ground.

Life moved on. We had breakfast and dressed. We worked on some needlework. The fire in the militia camp had some really nice coals so we baked a few sweet potatoes over there and roasted an acorn squash for lunch. Supplemented with some cheese, crackers and summer sausage, our luncheon was delicious. Various people continued to move down the road in both directions. Two women happened by and seemed to be desperate to get to a cabin down the road. One of them had such a heavy basket on her back that Sister asked her what was in it. She said she was carrying her silver in there. The women had left a hand-wagon along with two young women and the half brother of one of them behind because the wagon had broken down. Later some of the neighbors from their area walked back and guided the wagon back to their cabin. It was definitely broken. To us it looked like the brace from the wagon to the axle was broken and the bottom of the wagon was sitting down on one wheel. That was hard work for that group, pushing the wagon back. One man who seemed to be a preacher walked by with a Bible in his hand. Two ladies from down the road came to offer coffee but since we were already sharing our coffee with some men on horses, they shared theirs too.

For dinner we decided to boil some potatoes and cabbage. We still had a chicken so we put part of it in as well as a hand full of rice, an onion and some rosemary. Angela's expertise cooking over the fire is to be admired! At about the time we took our first bites a rather large group of Federal soldiers came through the woods across the road from us. This is when pre-conceived and planned actions changed! We didn't originally have a very good opinion of the Union Army...after all, I had left Nashville to move to South Carolina to get away from the occupation by the army in Tennessee. Sister and Angela were taking me to Dixie. I had thought that we would be cold toward the Blue coats if we saw any. These boys approached us in such a mild and meek manner that we believed they were being honest when they told us they hadn't eaten since the day before and that they had been abandoned in the wilderness also. So, Uncle Billy doesn't feed his army! They very politely asked for food so we started out by offering dried corn and the pears we had remaining, plus some apples. When their kind Lieutenant knelt down in the middle of the road and prepared to cut the fruits into sixteen equal pieces for his little party we realized that they were honestly hungry and desperate for food. We gave them the rest of our last chicken, some peanuts, crackers, cheese and several other morsels including some canned peaches we had saved back as well as our last loaf of bread. They expressed great appreciation for the food. We wondered if we would regret fortifying them for the next day. They went on down the road and we finished eating our supper.

Before too long four or five other men came up. We thought they were part of the group that had just left but we found out later that these had gone off on their own. They were obviously very hungry also so we shared the dinner we had left. We told both groups of Yankees that if they hadn't been so polite and meek that our sharing would have been a different story. As these men finished eating, we heard the cavalry coming down the road and they went running! (It turns out that the men on horses were actually looking for fellows from the Union Army. They brought a flag of truce but the men wouldn't come out. We yelled through the woods that maybe the cavalry men should invoke Howell Cobb, so the next thing we heard was “Howell Cobb could eat an entire chicken.” They used the magic sentence when someone had to break from immersion during the event. These men and the group from earlier, I believe they were the 63rd Illinois, were allowed to camp across from us for the night. They disappeared before the sun came up.)

We were at least out of bed the next morning when a very large group of Union soldiers came down the road. They were not meek and mild like the groups the night before. They took every bite of food that was findable. One man poked our beds with his bayonet! One man remarked that we sure had a lot of sewing stuff. He hadn't seen our 'Plain Sewing Done Here' sign. We had a sack of boiled eggs and after taking one out to eat, I gave them the eggs. Just when I got my egg peeled and ready to eat...I could just taste it...it rolled off my saucer onto the rug we used as a 'parlor' and down the slope to the feet of one of the men. Without blinking the man scooped up my egg and ate it, dirt and all, in one bite, without hesitation! He was the same one who had slipped a coin into each of our hands because he saw the secret symbols on the canvas of the wagon so I didn't really resent his eating my egg. One man said he'd lost a couple of buttons and wanted them sewed on if he just had the time. I didn't make eye contact or even look, but Sister said he had 'lost' these buttons from his fly and was just being lewd. This time the privy didn't put off the men's exploration. They went and picked up our commode box and found the hidden medicines and cornbread we had hidden in a hole underneath. No more laudanum in our household! But they didn't find our shotgun that was right there underneath and they didn't look IN the box to find the last bit of cornbread we had. Somehow they overlooked our sorghum bottle, so we had cornbread and syrup with our coffee for breakfast. They did take all our tins with crackers, dried fruit and cookies. They didn't find the twists of tobacco hidden in the 'tobacco tree' right by our beds.

After these men moved on up the road we heard a lot of shooting. Maybe our stolen food was their last meal.

Trish Hasenmueller

[Cornfed]

Re: AAR Bummers

As a member of the 2nd division foraging party, I left the event Saturday near nightfall quite disgruntled after having seen no Rebs, encountering only one water stop that ran dry, no food since the small portion of bacon issued Friday evening (which every 4th man in the division had to return in order that the 1st division could draw this ration), and seeing no civilians. But, after reading all of the posts thus far, I have to agree with some; this event more than any other that I've attended gave an extraordinary sense of how it was like to be a soldier in this war. For the good and the bad, I think we will all remember Bummers '09 for a long time to come.

Phil Maddox
Hedgesville Blues

[unionprivate]

Re: AAR Bummers

Damn Georgia countryside! Rocky and unbearable. We shoulda left that land to the militia in search of better ground. Worst damned ground I ever seen. On to a more serious note;

I was Sgt of the 30th Ohio, part of 2nd division, and I gotta tell ya, I had one hell of a wonderful time. My hat off to the event organizers who made this one of the top notch events I have ever attended. You all should be proud!!

[flattop32355]

Re: AAR Bummers

After reading all the previous postings, I offer some thoughts:

I did not have fun.

What I had was an experience unlike any I've had before in six years of reenacting.

I was hungry short of hunger, thirsty short of parched, climbed a mountainside, helped some men who didn't think they would make it to make it (we left no one behind), and watched my son experience his first immersion event behave like he had been doing it for years.

When we found there was no water to be had for us, I managed to gain a canteen-full by getting a party who had water to donate a small bit from each of their canteens. It was the only water we got, and it kept us going until we reached the cabins, where we found food and water aplenty. Again, I thank those men for their generosity.

I fired one round, when we cleared weapons as we left the event.

It is my understanding that the path we followed along the base of the ridge to get around the flooded road was being made by the front of the column as we moved. The efforts and dedication of all the men in that column to proceed and reach the summit are to be commended. All made it to the top.

Many of the pre-conceived notions of what I thought would happen and how it would take place were replaced by circumstance and reality. In the end, it seems to me a fair trade.

There are many other thoughts I could put down, but this is enough for now.

[SGulley]

Re: AAR Bummers

Personally I had an amazing time. Like Martin said, we were "lost" for a bit as well. We zigged when we should have zagged. With our canteens all but empty, we boiled some creek water and went on with our day. The distances were not too great as to be completely "lost." The tag line for the event was not "All fun has broken loose in Georgia."

I feel sorry for those that had true medical emergencies, broken ankles and the like. I did overhear someone say that Georgia's cash crop must be rocks and I wholeheartedly agree.

First person during the burning of what the 1st Mo would later dub the "Retribution Inn" was quite fun. I'm damn sure glad none of those flying plates and cups found my ankles, that woman decided to take her 2 minutes to vent instead of gathering up her things. I found a nice crockpot that I used as a spitoon for the evening and then discarded in Sunday morning's second burning of the Inn.

Sunday morning found us in the extreme rear of the 1st and 2nd divisions. The Critters harrassed us all the way back to the parking lot. I've never seen so many full grown men dash into the woods and halfway down a steep hill faster when the word Cav was shouted. I'm laughing about it now but what great feeling of fear while in the moment.

Thanks to the event organizers and all my friends in the 1st Mo, we had one hell of a time.

Scott Gulley
1st Mo Engineers
Essayons!

[sam H]

Re: AAR Bummers

Friday night I rolled up to the event site and was pretty pumped to see a lot of folks I had not seen in a good while. I put on my kit, registered, and proceeded to celebrate making it to the event site by having a few shwills from the closest bottle. Eventually we were issued a slab of bacon per foraging party, but then I found out that first division did not have rations so I gave mine up. Kinda stupid but I knew I could steal some pork off of my little vegan mess mate. We marched off with all the torches lit and I laughed as they all went out very shortly after being lit and I became very glad that I had not purchased one for the weekend. Everyone around me who had one, started to find them annoying and saved them only for firewood later. One cool thing I saw as the torches were lit was a man on the side of the road with his throat slit. A sign around his neck reading "Death to all Foragers." That kinda set the mood for the event. Then we climbed up a hill to bed down for the night and if you have read the other posts you know what happened... slow, stupid, hike. Cliff, Flooded road, no water, lost. It sucked and I was pissed for a while. Had a good time finding out about the Molena cliff,tater dwellers. It is speculated that certain high ranking officers were natives of these people.

About 3 o'clock we finally came across a basket of whiskey which of course made me very happy and our party quickly drank it all despite not having anything to eat yet. shortly after that we came across the 2 houses and I ate some pickles. We spread out into a skirmish line and headed up the road and liberated some prisoners. They told us about all the calvary ahead but also said that their were more cabins ahead with plenty more food. Since it seemed that most of second division had picked over the last 2 we decided we would bag this one for ourselves along with the help of the 116th IL. we wandered up the road and the militia opened at us from trenches with what seemed like a mountain howitzer. So we just pulled out of there and head back to the 2 cabins. We snagged 2 chickens that were hidden, ripped there heads off, cleaned out there innards and started boiling them in a stew of everything we had foraged that day. It turned out to be pretty damn good. Some engineers came along and decided to take the rest of the furniture from the house and burn it staying in first person the entire time until the flames kicked in. Apparently that made for a good photo op. for several of them. Made me giggle a little. We started tearing some boards off the place and stacked it for fire wood. That was my house burning for the weekend.

Woke up around 8 and watched a few more photo ops. in front of the house as they set it ablaze again. Then we were ordered to just march on out with out any more plunder for the weekend. I kinda felt blue balled. Right as things were starting to get really cool it was over. I Wish we could have been out there another day and night. I know a lot of folks had a pretty rough time out there and have some hard feelings. I can understand where they are coming from without a doubt and I am glad I was not in there shoes.

Over all I give it a "yeah, It was alright." I dont know if I would sacrafice an entire paycheck, 3 days of work, and a day of class to do it all over again though.

Sam Harrelson
99th Indiana Foraging Party,
"Get your self some!"

[unclefrank]

Re: AAR Bummers

I pray that everyone made it home problem free. I wish to thank the men of Co. D, 11th Georgia Militia who made my job as Second Sgt. so easy! Can't wait to do it all over again.

[bushy chops]

Re: AAR Bummers

Bummers sucked, and that's why it was a good event.

Been going over it all day in my head about how I felt about it and feel kind of stupid complaining about most of the stuff.

I was in the 116th IL with some of my CVG pards under the intrepid Lt. Aaron Hooks. We starved and were thirsty but hey, so were the real guys. It was about as real as it could get.

We pulled picket duty 3 or 4 times (when other units didn't pull it at all) but still had fun. We rounded up two deserters who claimed to be militia, but had an awful lot of confederate army equipment with them. We were very skeptical of these two lads and turned them over to staff while we waited for the impending ambush.

The civis we ran into were great. lots of good interaction. I generally think fir per is hokey, but really enjoyed getting into it at bummers. There was so much real stuff to complain about in a first person context that it was easy to do and didn't go the route of being overdone and lame.

Having run into the Critters at several other events this year, my pards and I were terrified of hoofbeats. Hats off to you boys.

Huge thanks to the 93rd IL, who brought us some of the only food we saw all weekend. Peanuts have never taste so good. You also saved us from attack, as likely our division was too unorganized to save us on the picket line.

I am going to hold off judgement of how the mechanics of the event went down until after the event coordinators post. The only concerns I had were the detour (crazy mountain cliff) and the water. However, we probably wouldn't have had the water problem without the detour issue.

Did I have fun? yes and no. but the real thing wasn't fun, so mission accomplished.

Dave Wilson
116th IL

[D.W. Scalf]

Re: AAR Bummers

I have a few questions about the event. Sorry if these have already been touched on in earlier posts.

First let me point out that I was not there. In fact, you couldn't be much farther away from Molena Georgia than I am, in Queensland Australia. But my homeplace is only about an hour+ from there as the crow flies, on the banks of the Chattahoochee. So no one has to point that out to me that I wasn't there.

1) From the folks who were there, how do you feel the participants as a whole did as far as staying in first person? I'm including the disgruntled folks. If you can be that ticked off and in fear for your life/safety, and stay in character, you're doing pretty well.

2) Those of you who made comments about water being scarce. Do you mean water that should have been provided? Or water that was available. I've read several accounts from the event that state creek water was plentiful. Was boiling this water not an option? Maybe you were on the move and not able to take the time? I almost always use creek water when available to boil for coffee to conserve any fresh water I might have. I've drank plenty of questionable water in my time, and been very blessed not to get the "big G". I certainly don't recommend this, but boiled creek water should have been fine if available.

I actually have a few more questions, but will refrain at this time to keep from potentially fanning any embers. I'm not trying to be sarcastic with these questions, just would like to know.

Thanks,
D.W. Scalf

[Jim Peterson]

Re: AAR Bummers - My veiw

A number of issues have been raised and talked about. I'll add mine.

This was a foraging event. Due to the movement along the river trail, scaling the mountain, coming to a well that had been drunk dry by previous, sent down the wrong trail and finding emply baskets here and there, retracing our steps and getting on the right trail our unit, 2nd Division, at last came upon our first civilians about 3:00PM.

It appeared the civilians were being well entertained by a foraging unit from another Division and had already been picked over but now the treatment was more like harrasment.

Our Division camped on the other side of the field and a few went over to check on anything to eat. There was a pot of chicken broth by the fire that had been "taken" but I still tried to thank the ladies for their efforts in making it. We may be at war but you don't have to leave all Christian charity and humanity behind while doing so. Some soldiers seemed to enjoy tormenting the women while their officers looked the other way.

Two prisoners who claimed to want to take the oath were turned over to us. They were very polite but we also didn't believe a word they said. But they were human and deserved kind treatment and so they were made at least as comfortable as ourselves. We were moving on in the morning, the Army moving away from the area, and being under light guard we had hoped they would sneak away in the night and make their escape. But when the sun came up they were still with us. The last I saw of them was when they were over by the burnt out hotel behind our formation. I hope they found their way home that afternoon.

The Militia did attack late Saturday afterrnoon but, I think with the bulk of the foraging parties at our location we outnumbered them. It was only a small fight with only a few rounds fired by soldiers on both sides and then they moved off.

For the average soldier a great event. For the staff - a few issues need to be looked at.

[ajroscoe]

Re: AAR Bummers

D.W.,
We did a great job of staying in first person, even when we were on our own Saturday afternoon. We tried to make the situation we were in still work in first person, though when we huddled around the fire that night for a while, it lagged, but we finished Sunday in strong first person. The parts of the event like that were a blast to me. Unfortunately, we were up on a highland area at the very Southern edge of the park when we were left behind, and were well above any creeks. The only one we knew to exist was in the wrong direction and several hundred feet in elevation below us. Had we come along more creek water, we would have gladly used it and availed ourselves to our iodide tablets. In fact, we had been forced to due that around 2pm to get our 1st canteen since leaving camp at 8:30am.

[Jim of The SRR]

Re: AAR Bummers

I was leading the 48th IN foraging party in the 'lost' 3rd Division. First, lets get this clear, there were no Nancy Boys in our foraging party. Making the rough march along the river, no food and little water did not deter us. We welcomed the hardship in anticipation of something exciting to come. We traversed and back tracked on several trails. Went up hills and ravines for no logical reason. As the sun passed over and our guide was clearly lost I got to see a map and we figured out where we could follow a creek up to the main road (far distant from any of the action). Our main goal at this point was getting to water and the top of the ridge. I was not overly worried as we could always get water from the creek and boil it. Frankly, the hardships are something we see as a challenge and I have no complaint about that (if I did then we could take up bowling). But, I would be lying if I didn't say that the men were disappointed, pissed and frustrated because we did not see a single civilian, militiaman or cav all day. We felt like we were sent on an 'Easter Egg Hunt' in the middle of nowhere. Historically, the Bummers would have followed main roads and looked for homesteads branched off from the main roads. I saw no logical, rational or historical purpose for anything we did on Saturday. We were there to endure hardships with the intent of having some interaction or some possible hope of finding civilians to forage from. We were marched way out of the game and no where near any of the 'fun'.
Sunday we did get a chance to get engaged and forage. The raid on one of the cabins was worthwhile and very intense and realistic. Some of the enlisted burst into the second cabin only to find a woman giving birth with some other ladies helping her. I pushed my way thru to see the commotion and quickly turned about and ordered my men out as we were hit with volleys of insults and dishes. However, men from other parties burst right ina fter us and looted anyways. Little to nothing was found at this cabin. Kudos to the civilians for the great job they did. But, here is the problem, you are looting on a Sunday morning. We had hoped to loot on Saturday and bring the forage back to share, cook and eat on Sat night. Plus, we were competing and foraging with so many men. We felt like we got the leftovers and scraps of the event. The engagements with the militia was also well done and realistic to me.
Despite the disappointment we felt on Saturday, the men of SCAR 'embraced the suck' and made it a memorable experience. Despite it falling short of what we expected, we again had the chance to experience what these men endured and built stronger bonds of friendship thru this experience and a deep appreciation of the actual men who actually did it! I am so proud of the esprit de corps and drive of the men of our foraging parties (the 48th and 59the IN). You should proud of yourselves.
The first person was great and it held up about 90% (lagged a bit in the wee Sat night hours, but I attribute that to some weariness, frustration and a couple of real world issues to be dealt with).
Thanks to the organizers for all their hard work. I know things did not go as planned for our division and that is regretful, ad much of that due to the flooded road near the river (an uncontrollable factor). But, I know you put alot of blood and sweat into this effort and I hope everyone at least appreciates that, despite the outcomes.

Regards,
Jim Butler
1st Lt. 48th IN foraging party - 3rd Div.
"Butler's Bastards"

[Spinster]

Re: AAR Bummers

.

1) From the folks who were there, how do you feel the participants as a whole did as far as staying in first person? I'm including the disgruntled folks. If you can be that p*ssed off and in fear for your life, and stay in character, you're doing pretty well.

Certainly no one person can speak for all--each experience was different. I was with a civilian group that was 'on the road' and attempting to move the whole time, and not in a fixed cabin location. Thus, we saw a number of different folks.

I saw first person broken primarily for logistical reasons. Here are examples:

(1)We were being held on the road in front of Confederate lines for an ostensibily good reason--we were the first source of food forage for Federals coming up the cliffs on the Southern Route, and as they were not proceeding up at the anticipated rate, the thought was we needed to be held rather than proceeding down the road. Good Plan, and it was nice of folks to think of us, though we are perfectly capable of pacing ourownselves. Trouble was, we had other goals to meet, and a fully loaded hand cart not capable of fast travel. After hours of dickering with low level fellers who would not know if it bit them on (well, once again decorum prevents me from speaking), we finally got hold of someone with some authority, and Pa Brand took off his hat and Phil explained our the real problem. Meantime, we'd sent Kat Brand cross country alone to go around the Confederate line and accomplish the same thing. All pleas came together at the same time and we began to move, badly behind schedule. Casualty, one broken axle on the hand cart never designed for those speeds, or to be still fully loaded with food. As we left, we also gave instructions as to the locations of the water drops behind us. We had pulled out the lightly camoed jugs as we went by and left them standing in the slam middle of the road so that there was no chance than man nor beast could miss them. As we could hear the 'out of water' talk along the line, we knew that water was there and could be moved up.

After a number of zigs and zags and decision points in the road (made easier by use of which way the horse sign went) Cousin Nancy and I arrived at the Nyland/Rumble cabin, and sent help back for the broken cart. At this point, according to plan, we all still think we've got Sorchy's Federals behind us somewhere, way behind schedule, hungry, and less than an hour before dark.

(2) Again, a side consultation with Mrs Nyland (her family already had many things underway), and we drug up more wood and began to build coal beds, bury sweet potatos, and place corn in husk to steam on top, in order to have as much cooked food as was plausible ready to steal when troops arrived.

Once nightfall was upon us and the true logistical problem of that group of Federals being fully lost, well off site, and finally located, with food and water enroute, a number of other issues needed to be dealt with, and for the next several hours helpful and apologetic Kabuki motored up and down the road moving copious amounts of water, supplies, and information. Having done the same myself in the dark of night, I consider these souls to be invisible no matter how high their beams, how loud the four wheel drive, or what is said. Its all good.

(3) The next morning the horde hit in two waves. I heard two exceptions in those hours, both having to do with long pre-arranged scenarios. I stood by the side of the road gnawing a turnip, man looked at me, said "Where is she?" I pointed across the smoke, and shortly saw that particular incident take place. I also was carrying a particular piece of contraband destined to change possessers. (The Brand family are known low class thieves) Said feller spotted his items, and a shoving match ensued. While we had discussed, no actual coreography had been practiced, and after several moments he whispered "if you don't let go I'm gonna have to throw you on the ground" I winked and said " lets dance" I heard several side bets being made in the next 20 seconds before he reclaimed his property.

Good thing we both got our hard thumps in early and done. We're on the same event team in 2010. :D