August's Celebration IV Trip (Part Three: How To Fail as a Person Without Really Trying.)
So first the good news: I did not hurt myself today. I got back from the convention hall with only one new bruise and this one was not from anything done as an accident. That's what leads up to the bad news...
One of the line developers at Wizards of the Coast is an arrogant ass. There is just no other way to describe him. He is self-centered, snide and cares only for what benefits him no matter who else gets hurt. I have tried to tolerate this scrotal fuzz-nugget for several years now, avoiding him at shows and doing everything possible not to speak to him or even make eye contact.
But today, the inescapable happened. I was sitting at my table, running a game for a group of visitors from Germany when the dev-that-shall-not-be-named decided that rather than step a little out of his way to reach the back of our booth, he would cut between our demo tables regardless of how packed in we were. In the process, he rammed his laptop satchel (his hard-sided laptop satchel) into my shoulder at full walking speed and literally forced me onto the table with the impact.
The strike was so solid that my players winced and asked me, "Are you all right?" One looked at the dev going past and said, "What a dick."
Now work through this with me. If a ~German~ is calling you down on rude behavior, you have a problem.
Now I normally take these things in stride. I have had people shove me into things, trip me, drop poles on my head, etc. and never said a damn thing. I am a bit of a doormat that way. I just don't like to make a scene...
...which makes what I did next wildly out of character. I excused myself from the table, asking if the players could give me a moment. They understood completely and watched while I went over to the dev in question, pulled him aside and told him in exactly these words, "The next time you hit me with that bag, mate, you'll be eating it."
Then I snarled at him.
Then I went back to my table and ran the game.
The developer never came back to our booth. I hear he went to Ian and lodged a complaint. *shrugs* In a way, I hope he did. I have never stood up for myself like that before at a show.
It felt kinda good...
More as it happens,
-August
One of the line developers at Wizards of the Coast is an arrogant ass. There is just no other way to describe him. He is self-centered, snide and cares only for what benefits him no matter who else gets hurt. I have tried to tolerate this scrotal fuzz-nugget for several years now, avoiding him at shows and doing everything possible not to speak to him or even make eye contact.
But today, the inescapable happened. I was sitting at my table, running a game for a group of visitors from Germany when the dev-that-shall-not-be-named decided that rather than step a little out of his way to reach the back of our booth, he would cut between our demo tables regardless of how packed in we were. In the process, he rammed his laptop satchel (his hard-sided laptop satchel) into my shoulder at full walking speed and literally forced me onto the table with the impact.
The strike was so solid that my players winced and asked me, "Are you all right?" One looked at the dev going past and said, "What a dick."
Now work through this with me. If a ~German~ is calling you down on rude behavior, you have a problem.
Now I normally take these things in stride. I have had people shove me into things, trip me, drop poles on my head, etc. and never said a damn thing. I am a bit of a doormat that way. I just don't like to make a scene...
...which makes what I did next wildly out of character. I excused myself from the table, asking if the players could give me a moment. They understood completely and watched while I went over to the dev in question, pulled him aside and told him in exactly these words, "The next time you hit me with that bag, mate, you'll be eating it."
Then I snarled at him.
Then I went back to my table and ran the game.
The developer never came back to our booth. I hear he went to Ian and lodged a complaint. *shrugs* In a way, I hope he did. I have never stood up for myself like that before at a show.
It felt kinda good...
More as it happens,
-August