improbability: tequilacon 2009
It all seems so unlikely is what I think as we make our way north, so improbable that I should be in this car, with these people, driving through the New Mexican desert. I can remember back when meeting people on the Internet was frowned upon as a bad idea, they were certainly never people you’d want to become friends with in real life, much less take a road trip with. Yet here we are, fitting together so well that when someone (I don’t recall who) made the first sandworm reference, the rest of us jumped in without missing a beat, asking if we’d packed any thumpers, complimenting the fit of each other’s stillsuits, knowing our ways as if born to them: like some variation on the Kwisatz Haderach, we were from many places all here at once.
* * *
TequilaCon itself is even more unlikely, a time and a place where people from all over descend, a flash mob gone terribly right. And I forgot that it always goes right, and I don’t know why I don’t remember this when I first walk into the courtyard, remembering when I’d called the venue months ago and the woman on the other end of the line assured me that the Pink Adobe would be incredibly busy on Saturdays in April but they were still the place to go if we were going to have a large group of people. At first glance it looked like it would be big enough, and we were the only ones there, and I started to let myself breathe a little, but anyway we mentioned to our waitress that there would probably be thirty of us altogether, and as everyone knows by now she shrugged and said, “well, let me get your drinks, and then we can set up the big room upstairs, the one with its own private balcony and a shower, just in case.” Improbable, but there it was. It always works out right.
People started arriving right on cue, and I always wonder about what the venue thinks about these events. Where did they all come from, and then where do they all go? The New Mexicans were too laid back to check IDs or else they might have wondered about how this first batch alone represented New York and Atlanta and California and Florida. Good Lord, do you think they’ll be coming back?
It’s a smaller group this year, which is fine, because if there’s one thing I always kick myself over after TequilaCon it’s the people I wish I had spent more time talking with, and this year I intended to make up for it in spades. The Black Dragons were strong and the air was scarce, but I remember the first part, meeting Rachel and Robin and Sarah in short order. Karl and I go way back at this point, and Diana and I were finally formally introduced, and Poppy knew how this all worked already and signed up for the first tattoo. I ducked out onto the patio to enjoy one of my fake cigarettes, and by God I need to learn how to just graciously accept a compliment one of these days because Dawg dropped one of the best ones on me I’ve had in a while.
Things get a little fuzzy as we move on, but I remember waving at Colleen and Brenton from the balcony, and I was headed down the stairs to see if anyone was lost when Ren and Marty walked in, and I found myself telling my blog’s origin story to Wayne a little later. I think this is probably when Sir dropped in, and I was relieved because less than a day before it seemed he wasn’t going to make it, but everything works out right, however unlikely. I was so accepting of the improbability of the whole night that while it gave me a moment’s pause when Dustin walked in, I moved to the acceptance stage right away and got in place to distract Jenny, as smoothly as if we’d been practicing the whole thing for weeks.
We even had an honest-to-God Canadian this year, and finally Scott showed up and I wandered over because I felt I should say “Hello,” and I clammed up because I thought how am I ever going to match wits with this guy? and I probably would have just stood around dumbfounded but thankfully he’d brought Susan along, who was gracious enough for the both of us, and I think I might even have gotten invited over for Texas barbecue before the night was over.
I don’t think I’d believe any of it happened if I hadn’t been there myself.
But I was, and it was a riot.
Comments(15)
Yeah, I know, this is over a week late. Sue me. I WAS TIRED.
If you haven’t seen it already, my full set of photos for TequilaCon is here, the set for my time in Santa Fe and Taos is here, and a few photos from the unremarkable city of Albuquerque are here.
I’m sorry I missed it! I was on a plan in AZ at the time! *pout*
So you weren’t impressed with Albuquerque? We’ve been contemplating NM as a place to move, but haven’t been there…
Susan’s being there was my insurance policy against awkward silence. (Plus it’s more fun staying in a hotel when she’s there with me.)
You are, of course, welcome to visit Texas anytime.
Hello, Vahid.
Everything really does always work out just fine at TequilaCon, doesn’t it? But that’s in large part because you spent countless hours researching every step of it!
Next year, Barcelona!
Yay for good times and the warmth of true friendship seeping through the cracks and making everything better.
(What? I’m sappy today…sue me!)
That sounds like so much fun. I love when things just turn out happy and fun and perfect even when they seem like they shouldn’t. And I am cracking up about meeting people on the internet being a bad idea. My kids have been brainwashed by my inlaws about this and when I went to meet Dave this summer they kept repeating over and over that I had to meet him in a public place, I couldn’t give out my address or phone number, etc.
Wait, internet people are REAL?
Pfffft. You’re an internet person. I don’t believe you.
Sure looks like a lot of fun, though. *sigh*
It always warms my heart to hear about people referencing Dune.
I really enjoyed reading all about it. I hope to make a TequilaCon sometime in the future. What about meeting me halfway – Hawaii maybe?
holy sh&t, dustin just posted and reminded me that the tequilacon memory i had blocked out was in fact a reality. more and more I am torn between whether or not this perfect weekend actually happened or was a sin against all that is good.
anyway, gather up sibyl for a debriefing in the next couple of weeks, if you can. we’ve got lots of planning to do for 2010.
[...] improbability: tequilacon 2009 — 2:50am via Google [...]
kyra, it’s safe to say I was completely underwhelmed with Albuquerque.
scott, I’ll consider this an official invitation, then.
jenny, finally, an international TequilaCon!
hilly, it’s a good day for sappiness.
tori, I’ve always been suspicious of that Dave character, personally.
shari, we are completely imaginary, and so is Santa Fe.
claire, where would we be without the wisdom of MuadDib?
selma, count me in for Hawaii!
brandon, it’s never too early to get started planning for next year’s event. let’s get to work!
It was… as it always seems… like magic.
David Copperfield ain’t got nothin’ on you guys.
It was a great event. And great to meet you (I’m sure I said that in one of your previous posts and in person multiple times already).
Let me know next time you are going to be in SLC and we’ll meet up at Squatters.
It seemed effortless. That’s when you know people worked VERY hard to pull an event together. Incredible job.
And the smaller number of people made it easier to enjoy each other’s company, so I preferred it.
I still love TC08, but TC09 is equally as wonderful for me.
Thank you so much, Vahid.