In the St. Nick of Time

- by Lady Teleri the Well-Prepared
And she's really very sorry

Some background: There was to be a polling for the new Baron and Baroness. The Investiture was scheduled, and time was passing, but there had been no word from the seneschal about the polling. A gentle lady of the populace queried the group's email list to ask about the polling. The first few replies were mostly neutral - it seemed that the polling labels had been requested and Corporate was processing the request. Another gentle lady of the populace commented, "We all know how the wheels of the SCA can move, sometimes slow, sometimes very timely..."

Now, all this was happening in late November and early December, and something about that comment stuck in my head. Wouldn't it be just like an old Christmas movie if, at the last minute, a True Christmas Miracle^TM happened to make everything all right?

So I wrote this. It was supposed to be funny.

Regretfully, the conversation continued and... became less neutral. People felt accused or belittled.

I don't think this little fluffball had anything to do with it. I certainly hope not.

If you're not from the Storvik area, there's a castmember in the following script you probably won't recognize. The Washington DC Revels are a music and folk heritage group who put on a terrific show every Christmas. It always ends with a hearty, "Welcome, Yule!" from the cast and audience.

POPULACE: The polling! The polling! Where is the polling?

SENESCHAL: We need the labels from Corporate!

BARONESS: Really, it's out of his hands.

BARON: All we can do it wait.

POLLING CANDIDATES: And wait, and wait, and wait...

INVESTITURE AUTOCRAT: I hate to rain on anyone's parade, but if we don't get those labels by tonight, there's no way we'll have the polling done by the date for Investiture.

ALL: (GROAN!)

BARON: But it's Christmas Eve! No one's delivering mail tonight!

SENESCHAL: Can we get the deposit back on the site?

BARONESS: They haven't started buying for feast yet, have they? Can they freeze it?

INVESTITURE AUTOCRAT: No, yes, and no. Maybe we can have a very late Yule Revel instead?

(from offstage): Did someone say... Yule?

(Enter a large older man, dressed ambiguously in red-brown, white, and lots and lots of holly and ivy, bedecked with other nondenominational Symbols of the Season.)

LARGE OLDER MAN: Ho ho... (coughs)! Merry - ! Blessed - ! Happy - !

ALL: Say what?

LARGE OLDER MAN: Y'all got a winter holiday coming up?

ALL: Yes...

LARGE OLDER MAN: Well, merry winter holiday to you all, whatever your winter holiday!

BARON: I think we're all good with 'Yule.'

LARGE OLDER MAN: Welcome, Yule!

DC CHRISTMAS REVELS: Hey, that's our line!

BARONESS: Can we help you, sir?

LARGE OLDER MAN: Ah, yes! Please, take these off my hands. (Produces sheets of paper.)

SENESCHAL: Why... it's the polling labels!

BARON: Direct from the main office!

INVESTITURE AUTOCRAT: My event is saved!

POLLING CANDIDATES: Our wait is... well, almost over!

BARONESS: Thank you!

LARGE OLDER MAN: You're welcome! MerryBlessedHappy Yule to all, and to all -

ALL: A sound and complete polling!