Loose Ends

September 4, 2006

Just tying up loose ends from previous entries about our Labor Day campout. (Read the orginal stories here. Welcome to the Wild Wild West.)

Kangaroo Court -
They set up a group of chairs separate from the viewing public. Yes, this is a public humiliation. There was about 20 of us. We were each called up one at a time to plead our case. The first two "defendants" had retained campground "lawyers" which set the tone for an irreverant romp through the legal system that kept the spectators and participants laughing for over an hour.

Did I mention that most campers have a wicked sense of humor? Even those sweet, little old ladies had a line and come-backs that sent the crowd rolling. I debated between which approach I would use; the scatter gun excuse or the Che Guerva "I stand for the liberation of campers everywhere!" When called up to explain myself, I went with the scattergun defence (starting out with the dog ate my nametag and ending with I had donated it to the Jerry Lewis telethon.) Judge Justin was less than impressed. For the next, please remember this is all in good fun. The judge wondered if since I worked in a hospital if I had access to drugs, maybe we could work something out. I told him they didn't let me around the drugs - I couldn't help it, I had a dishonest face! Anyway, he fined me $3 which turned into $5 with "court costs."

Proceding continued with many a disruption from the "lawyers" Jim Beam and Fuzzy Navel and the teans raise $50 to help pay for their activities.

Basket Auction
Yes, Lucky Larry won more of the basket auctions than anyone else. I won one - pink bowls, cups, plate holders and styrofoam plates, totally not matching anything else I have. David won a set of cloth outline maps that you can color in as you visit the state/province.

Teen Queen Contest
From the moment Jamie and Katie stepped out onto the stage in the first phase of competition, casual wear and casual banter with the emcee, former queen, Shawna Marcotte, I knew that Katie was at the top of her game and Jamie (my niece) somehow was not. Katie's answers were smooth and conversational. Jamie's talent was still far superior but that was only one out of five scoring segments.

Jamie got Miss Congeniality and Top Talent and Katie is our new Miss Kansas FCRV. She will represent Kansas FCRV at the national campvention in July in Pueblo, Colorado.

And that's fall campvention until next year!

Photographs:

#1 Miss Kitty entertains the Wild Bunch onstage

#2 Former queens and kings update the campers.

#3 Outgoing queen, Joni, gives her farewell speech

#4 New Miss Kansas FCRV, Katie, with Jamie and Joni

Story ID:	988
Written by:	Shannon Marie Hyle (bio, contact, other stories)
Story type:	Diary/Journal Entry
Location:	Tonganoxie Kansas USA
Year:	2006
Person:	myself