Jul 29 2006
skedaddle
On a warm weekday evening Chris Issak played a wonderful outdoors concert at Chateau St Michelle. The shere volume of people attending the concert marred an otherwise exceptional evening.
My companions arrived over an hour later than anticipated merely because of traffic congestion. The Chateau provided sufficient parking and a shuttle bus service to carry customers to and from their cars.
I have difficulty controlling my panic in crowds. Fear of Crowds. FOC an appropriate acronym. ”FOC! lots of people, let me out of here!”
It was difficult to relax during the concert because of the powerful urge to skedaddle. Normally I can ignore crowds by focussing on a conversation nearby, the main event, or some specific activity (e.g. watching a film). When this fails the Cinderalla Effect comes into play. I leave. Quickly. Despite the excellent music, good companions and cheerful nature of the crowd I left at 9.15pm before Chris Isaak had finished his main set.
Mid-escape a girl stopped me “I love your outfit!” she beamed, “I love your…. (pause while Wendy finds something to compliment) …facial piercings” I choked over my shoulder while dashing directly to the shuttle bus service.
Wendy FOC’d-off
write the first thought on skedaddle
