Bye Bye Tennessee
Well, the time has come. The moms and their kids (and some of their husbands) have made like Elvis and left the building. We were sad to leave, such a good time was had by all. Kate and I stayed at a freeway-side hotel in Knoxville last night and will be catching a flight back west in a couple of hours.
This is the first time many of the moms from Alabama and Tennessee have made it to one of these get togethers and I think we did pretty well considering so many of the rest of the attendees were socialist Canadians, urban liberals, atheists, and west coasters with "new age" spiritual beliefs. The drinkers and the tee totalers mingled successfully, neither the atheists nor the evangelicals burst into flame. It's the kind of experience that gives me hope for the country.
Still, there's no denying the differences. At one point some got into a discussion about the "edgy" Christian t-shirts (images of nails being driven through hands, blood dripping, saying 'Saved by His Blood' or some such) which the least religious of the group found shocking and offensive and which they couldn't imagine allowing their children to wear, whereas the evangelical moms were not shocked at all by edgy, in-your-face Christian images and admitted those shirts were popular with the teens at their churches. I found that conversation fascinating, because I'd left my copy of Kill Doctor Lucky out (thinking I might get some of the moms to play with me later that night) and someone (a child, I assume) took a red pen and crossed out the words "kill" and "Cheapass Games" on the box while I was off doing something else. The concept of a highly ironic game (a twist on the game of Clue) that involves trying to "kill" an imaginary character in a humorous fashion ("...with a tight hat") is so offensive as to prompt someone to deface my game? Really drove home that our group is not without deep differences.
Kate has had a wonderful time, made many new friends, has made memories that I hope will last a lifetime. She's thanked me for this trip multiple times (and called the trail ride a "dream come true") but misses Chris and will be glad to get home. I am sore, tired, and sunburned but I haven't had such a good time in years. I can't wait for the next reunion/get together.
This is the first time many of the moms from Alabama and Tennessee have made it to one of these get togethers and I think we did pretty well considering so many of the rest of the attendees were socialist Canadians, urban liberals, atheists, and west coasters with "new age" spiritual beliefs. The drinkers and the tee totalers mingled successfully, neither the atheists nor the evangelicals burst into flame. It's the kind of experience that gives me hope for the country.
Still, there's no denying the differences. At one point some got into a discussion about the "edgy" Christian t-shirts (images of nails being driven through hands, blood dripping, saying 'Saved by His Blood' or some such) which the least religious of the group found shocking and offensive and which they couldn't imagine allowing their children to wear, whereas the evangelical moms were not shocked at all by edgy, in-your-face Christian images and admitted those shirts were popular with the teens at their churches. I found that conversation fascinating, because I'd left my copy of Kill Doctor Lucky out (thinking I might get some of the moms to play with me later that night) and someone (a child, I assume) took a red pen and crossed out the words "kill" and "Cheapass Games" on the box while I was off doing something else. The concept of a highly ironic game (a twist on the game of Clue) that involves trying to "kill" an imaginary character in a humorous fashion ("...with a tight hat") is so offensive as to prompt someone to deface my game? Really drove home that our group is not without deep differences.
Kate has had a wonderful time, made many new friends, has made memories that I hope will last a lifetime. She's thanked me for this trip multiple times (and called the trail ride a "dream come true") but misses Chris and will be glad to get home. I am sore, tired, and sunburned but I haven't had such a good time in years. I can't wait for the next reunion/get together.
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