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From: Martyn Clapham <martyn@mclapham.demon.co.uk>
Newsgroups: alt.fan.pratchett
Subject: *F* Lancaster meet thanks and report
Date: Thu, 7 Nov 1996 00:07:20 +0000
Message-ID: <7zdTtKA4gSgyEwU7@mclapham.demon.co.uk>
Firstly thanks to all the people at IMT who made my first visit to a
signing/meet so enjoyable, and for showing me that proper Indian food is
not extreamly spicy[1].
Claire Speed is going to post a proper report but as I have probably got
home first I thought I'd post a summary of what happened to me[2].
I arrived at about 5.15pm to find a large queue outside the shop, in the
rain and hail etc.
Got inside, bought a copy of Maskerade and got it signed, then tried to
find the other afpers.
The Bellman saw me looking round and asked what I was looking for, when
I told him he introduced himself and the others.
Again thanks to all, Pterry and ppint especially, and no longer being a
meet newbie I hope to meet more afpers at the London signing.
MartynC
[1] I get an allergic reaction/upset stomach after eating very spicy
food :-(
[2] Given the nature of Usenet this will of course appear after Claires
post!
--
Inhabitant of REAL witch country I Mobile 0860 914817
( Pendle, Lancashire, England ) I http://www.mclapham.demon.co.uk
I AFPurity 71%
From: perdita@mcc.ac.uk (C Speed)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.pratchett
Subject: *F* Lancaster Meet Report
Date: 7 Nov 1996 08:42:52 GMT
Message-ID: <55s7ec$h79@yama.mcc.ac.uk>
Well, I didn't post one last night, but I bet I'm one of the first up this
morning anyway *&)
In the year of our lord nineteen ninety six, on the sixth day of the blustery
month of November, the noble ppint did invite us all to partake of both his
magnificant premises and the rather good curry house around the corner. And
thus we did.
The Manchester Computing contingent set off in good time at three hours past
midday for the hours drive to Lancaster and by the hour of the signing(5pm)
had almost arrived. Well, at least driven past the shop several times. Said
contingent are now very familiar with the A6 one way system. And parts that
branch off to Morecome. And all the car parks in Lancaster. And the bit on
the Mancunian way where you have to head *left* not right to get on the M61.
There were fair _hundreds_ of people at the signing. An impressive quantity
in a petite establishment such as ppint's. And lo, the copies of Hogfather
didst run out and there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth. And when
Feet of Clay followed quickly behind there was even gnashing and wailing of
teeth. And many Maskerade paperbacks were sold.
AFP huddled cosily in the back room, shuffling from side to side as reaching
new stock necessitated, until the crowds had abated and the real fun could
begin. At this point certain members of AFP produced carrier bags full of
(largely new) books and made pTerry get his pen out again. And lo, there was
nearly irony. The Bellman of Ankh also produced a book and proclaimed its
owner to be the truly awesome Michelene and asked afp to scribble on it. No
one could spell her name.
Eventually the eating establishment formerly known as a Methodist Church was
reached and the group was seated. A roll call was initiated by a bemused
staff member who wondered who all the strange looking people at the other end
of the table were and it went something like[1]:
Claire
<mumble mumble> "I used to come here when this was a Methodist Hall"
Iris (his wife) "I did too"
Vicky (not really an afper as _such_)
Raven
Someone
Someone else
Martin O'nions
Another someone
The Bellman of Ankh
Tim Shuttleworth
Some bloke called Terry
A lady with blonde hair who "just happened to be in the shop"
David Taylor (memorable because he wouldn't stand up *&)
JJ
ppint
Some other people including the bemused staff member
A man and his son
Because of the large numbers involved, conversation tended to split into
three groups so yhn can only report on what happened in the middle section
between herself, Tim, Iris & husband, pTerry, the man and his son and the
lady with blonde hair.
Discussion topics included: future books, DiscCon96, DiscCon98,
AFPMegaMeet97, Cats (real furry ones), Richard O'Brien films, "The Return of
Captain Invincible", Wing Commander 4, litter Trays and animal torture
devices, Arabs, bits of cats and the benefits of being an office slave.
The food was very good, particularly the red mushroom thingy, and everyone
ate their fill. The decision concerning desert and coffee was admirably
organised by the facist-dictator staff member who was about to leave. The
threat of her abscence caused apathy to take root hold and in the end, no one
bothered. Various members of the party departed for long drives home (or
badly needed sleep on the part of knackered authors) including yhn so what it
was that went on in that building with the strange spirits someone else will
have to relate.
The Manchester Computing Contingent had a relatively uneventful, if a trifle
damp, journey home and only managed to miss Junction 20 on the M6
_completely_ despite looking for it. Consequently completing the event in
much the same way it began.
Quotes and Notes for the event were, in the abscence of any psions, kept on
Tim's calculator watch and were as follows:
SHELL OIL
SHELL OIL
Later in the evening I retrieved my Casio from the car. Opening it this
morning I found a single message stored there:
SHELL OIL.
I do, however, recall the one stunning quote (and the aftermath) of the
evening:
Staff Member to small back room after counting heads:
"Is there anyone behind you?" (to Martin)
There were two of us and much hilarity ensued.
(much later)
Martin (to yhn): "Hey, I just realised. This means I'm officially bigger
than your ego!"
Amusing, but while Martin is _big_, he is not quite *that* big. *&)
Claire
[1] I wasn't sure at the time and in the cold harsh light of day I remember
even less.
--
******************************************************************************
* Claire Speed [ENTX] * Network & Operations Unit, Manchester Computing *
* Dial-up, ISDN, TICTAC * C.Speed@mcc.ac.uk http://www.mcc.ac.uk/Claire/ *
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