Friday, October 19, 2012

Leaving The Smarties In The Lurch

The Pony has been gathering a team to play Trivia at his band fundraiser Saturday night. Roping in recalcitrant participants might be better terminology. He had his loyal friend, a fellow Academic Team member. But attempts to enlist other smarties was like pulling teeth at a Missouri Meth Manufacturers' Convention. Nigh on impossible.

On Tuesday, a colleague tracked me down after school to join his team. I used to be a regular, but Trivias around here became few and far between for a while. It might have something to do with the ten dollars per head that it costs to play, and teams of eight to ten being difficult to field. I had thought about playing, since I would have to drive The Pony and wait on him to finish. But since I hadn't received the regular email soliciting our team members, I let it slide. When Mr. Captain asked, I agreed. But I stipulated that if The Pony's team evaporated, I would not be coming.

Mr. Captain expounded on the fact that one of our regulars had recruited a beaucoup of wisenheimers to join the brainfest. In fact, he allowed, they had enough people for almost two whole teams. Upon later consideration, I wondered if he had only sought my mental might at the eleventh hour. But it made no nevermind to me. Mrs. Hillbilly Mom is happy to spread her seeds of knowledge any time and any place. As long as she has time to kill when she would not rather be sitting in front of her computer.

When The Pony declared Thursday that his team was kaput, I emailed Mr. Captain my regrets that I would not be at Trivia, a contest sucking two-and-a-half hours from my life, along with an hour of drive time. My weekends are mini-vacations to me these days. No need to plan an itinerary. I knew it wouldn't hurt the team, what with so many extras on the roster.

Today after school, the Captain-man came a-lookin' for HM. "I'm really sorry that you can't make it Saturday. Is it me? Because we could really use you. Our regular buddy decided that she can't make it, and everybody she recruited faded away. We only have seven people now."

I did not bend. I like my time off better than Trivia. We have played with only five people before. The rule is not hard and fast that a team must have maximum memberage. They will survive.

In other news...I am thinking about renaming my garage band Maximum Memberage. There's no Truth in Band Nomenclature Law, is there?

3 comments:

Sioux Roslawski said...

I am the same way. The weekend time is so precious, free of students, so anything that slurps it away is to be avoided at almost all costs.

However, if they have a Seinfeld category, they will be lost without you...

Kathy's Klothesline said...

Maximum Memberage ..... I like it.

Hillbilly Mom said...

Sioux,
Oh, IF ONLY they would have a Seinfeld category! Somebody needs to organize a Trivia Night based entirely on Seinfeld. Ten rounds. There could be one for each major character. And one for movies they've attended, like Sack Lunch and Rochelle, Rochelle. One for villains like Crazy Joe Davola and The Lopper. One for nicknames like Man Hands, and the close-talker and the chucker, and the hipster doofus. Notable foods like pudding skin singles and the trash can eclair. Ooh! The possibilities are endless. Like a giant Seinfeld Scene-It.

**************
Kathy,
I think it might attract a different clientele than the old name: Mommy's Got a Headache.