convention freaky memories

by joelbear 37 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  atypical

  One year, here in Phoenix, someone set off a firecracker during the drama. They lights were turned down except for on the stage and in the hallways, so it really lit the place up. The firecracker caused an older sister to have a heart attack, and I remember the men pushing her down the hallway on a stretcher. After that, they never turned the lights down for the drama.

  Another year, we had a bomb scare during the drama (in Tucson) and they filed everyone out of the convention center. The police or whoever scoured the place for over three hours. We went to a restaurant and drank margaritas. When we got back, we found out that all of the "spiritual" people had gone into another building and sang kingdom melodies acapella and told upbuilding experiences. I was so glad I had chosen the margaritas. Then, they asked by a round of applause, if it would be ok to go ahead and do the rest of the program in its entirety. Keep in mind - three and a half hour delay, and on Sunday, and in Tucson (most of us had to drive 2 hours back to Phoenix). My wife and I got up and left after the applause!
• 

  divejunkie

  I used to volunteer to work - only because it guaranteed you an excuse to come to your seat late and leave it early before and after sessions AND only after careful deliberation with girlfriends or the boyfriend to coordinate the assignments so we could hang out together.
• 

  jessthebull

  Killing time locating friends with binoculars

  Killing time locating hot boys with binoculars

  Writting notes to my mum insiting on pink lamingtons at lunch

  I was so gutted when they stopped having food. I was 10 or so and the loss of iceblocks and lamingtons was chrushing.

  Going to toilets on the other side of the stadium to maximise time taken out from the program.
• 

  IronClaw

  I remember growing up always checking out the girls. How bout that assembly in the mid 70's with the big talking Heart and Mind props. Oh yeah the long bus rides to Yankee stadium. Wish the Yankees were playing!
• 

  Country Girl

  The week-long conventions lasting from sun up to well past sundown.

  Being taken out several times for spankings along with my siblings.

  The smell of the "hoagies" as they festered on the tables in the hot sun.

  The flies hanging around the hoagies.

  Watching the geese in the middle of the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto.

  Sitting in the blistering sun, followed by a good soaking by an afternoon thundershower.

  Waking up from a nap with a "map" of the texture of the armrest embedded in my face.

  Wondering why I couldn't sit in the way up bleachers with the rest of the spiritually weak teenagers.

  Slathering pounds of stage makeup on my face as a 12 year old in a drama, and being *so hot*. My mother had dyed my hair black to look like a "little Israelite girl" and it didn't come out; so had to go to school looking like a witch for another six months.

  The musty, fecal smell in the women's restroom towards the end of the day.

  Hearing children screaming in the restroom stalls as their mothers gave them the "wooden spoon of education"

  Watching ridiculously young couples walking hand in hand with matching wedding rings, and knowing that they must have gotten married because they didn't want to burn with desire.

  Sniffing the ink on the new releases.

  Drawing caricatures of the speakers.

  Drawing little "doo-doos" under the tail of that camel in the frontis page of the earlier editions of NWT.

  Playing tic tac toe with a pen in my little brother's ear as he slept with his head in my lap.

  Kicking the chair of the kid in front of me.

  Ripping up the sticky paper from a popsicle and making a mosaic by sticking it to my sleeping brother's face.

  Peeking through the holes in the swiss cheese from my sandwish and pretending it was a pair of binoculars.

  Using my index finger and thumb to squint between as I squished various speakers' heads.

  The wonderful spankings after each night of the Assembly from my unbelieving Father as my Mother told him of my antics.

  Ugh...

  How fortunate I was to have recieved such a spirtual feast.

  CG
• 

  jjessie

  " Being told by attendants that my sundress and Dr. Scholls sandals with no hose were "not appropriate" even though the temperature was 85 degrees at 10:30 am. Bringing my own food rather than eat assembly food. Experimenting with OOBE to pass the time of day." When was this? When I attended my last convention with a friend in San Diego a couple of years ago, I didn't wear hose I was happy because it was outdoors... however, I did see many gentlemen in full suits
• 

  Mastodon

  OK Here we go...
  
  
  Working the burgers on the grill when I was 8.
  
  
  Volunteer for anything and everything just so I didn't have to sit down at all.
  
  
  Catching pneumonia from walking in and out of the refrigerated trailers to get the sodas for lunch. Pushing the cart full of soda cans and distributing them to the different lunch stations.
  
  
  appearing on stage as a misguided youth who mixed the kingdom melodies with rock music
  
  
  Checking out the babes
  
  
  The Babes running away from me
  
  
  Working security on the parking lot, patrolling around in my beat-up mitsubishi listening to Queen.
  
  
  Working as attendant and sneaking off to one of the empty coliseun boxes, taking my shoes off and sleep the whole afternoon session away.
  
  
  Almost falling on my ass in a drama while chasing the evil prophets of Baal, my flip-flops broke and i was sans eyeglasses.
  
  
  Later on, sneaking off with my wife for a long lunch and sometimes not coming back.
  
  
  I may, or may not, have masturbated in an isolated bathroom during a session. I may, or may not, have been bored out of my mind.
  
  
  Dreaming of someday have the privilege of working the sound board during the assembly.
• 

  forsharry

  My mom coming down with Heat Stroke at the Vet after sitting in the sun all morning session while waiting to be baptised. (No one thought to cover the baptismal area with a tarp, so on top of heat stroke and a hospital visit, she got sun poisoning too.) Double trouble!

  Those icky sausage sandwiches (very 'popular' in the south at the district conventions.)

  Watching witnoid families come up and clear out the consession table (I volunteered as at concessions for a couple years...most fun I ever had at the convention.)

  Finding all of the 'secret' passageways at the sports arenas we attended.

  Beating the living hell out of two girls behind the stage after they paid some witness kid to push my brother to the ground and kick him. (They had bloodied noses. I had righteous indignation and a sore hand. Fair trade by me.)

  Learning to sleep with my eyes open.