Postby Chowski » Wed Sep 19, 2012 1:47 pm
Only one. I came by myself this year, and hit playa at about 7:30 on Sunday night! Got into the city by 10 or so, and drove to my designated area: 7:30 and G (having camped in that hood before with my larger crew when we were a registered theme camp). Drove around, surprised by all the pre-reserved space on G, but found a wide-open field on H or I. No ropes, no flags - I know how this works. So, I parked - at least fifty feet from anyone else, and set out to check for flags, meet the neighbors, ask about direction of wind/sunset, etc. A few tents here and there, but only one person around who had also just arrived and was setting up - we agreed the area was clear for the taking. So I went back to the car and began unpacking my gear, hoping to get the tent up, but leave the shade construction for morning.
After about twenty minutes, some stinky hippy comes rushing up to my camp "Um, Dude, this area is reserved for (don't remember the name of the camp)". So I says "That's funny, because reserved theme camps are marked with flags or ropes, and there are CLEARLY no flags here, and there's no theme camp here or anywhere near here." The dirty Hippy comes back with "yeah, well, this is kinda reserved for their friends to camp. Is this your first burn?"
I had just driven eight hours, mostly unpacked my car, and in that moment I decided: I can stay right here, deal with this tired burner's expectations and disappointments all week, or get out and find better neighbors. So I packed up my car again, told him to have a nice burn, and moved one block over. And let me tell you - that was the best decision I made all week long. My neighbors were a wonderful mix of veterans and virgins, generous and open, and it was a real community.
I have very little patience any more for burners who've been burning too long - who cling so desperately to the way it was that they cannot accept the way it is. I know that, in that guy's mind, he saw me alone, in a car, and didn't want what he perceived to be a lone virgin guy camping near him.
For making me pack up on my car on Monday night, from a site which was not reserved, my Top Asshat of 2012 goes directly to the burnt out burner at 7:30 and G. I hope you got out of the way of your burn, and I'm sorry you didn't get to enjoy any of the (if I may say so) awesome gifts, both physical and communal, I brought and shared, happily, with my killer neighbors at 7:15 and H.