(no subject)
Jan. 30th, 2001 03:58 pm"My most memorable bout occurred at a Queens some years ago. I drew a fellow of my acquaintance named Esteban, who was getting ready to move to Caid. As this our last opportunity to fight in a tournament, we pulled out all the stops. We were the final bout of the round, and the weapons were florentine [a rapier in each hand]. I can't tell you exactly what happened to who or when, but at one point, I took a good blow to my sword arm, dropped my primary and kept going until he dropped me a few moments later.
About five minutes after the bout, I was (still) catching my breath in the pavilion when Avery (then Colin) came up and pointed out the five inch long, slightly bloody rent in the sleeve of my shirt. And the three inch long slightly bloodier gouge on my shoulder.* Until he mentioned it, I'd never felt anything but the blow landing. Now that's a memorable fight.**
*If memory serves, he pointed this out by sticking his finger through the hole in the shirt, poking the injury and saying something like "Doesn't this hurt?". Irish battlefield medicine in action...
**It should be noted that the tear/injury was not caused by a broken or untipped blade. It was simply a combination of speed of attack and the angle of impact that tore the shirt and abraded the skin. At any rate, the look on the Marshall-in-Charge's face when I reported this "equipment failure" made it completely worthwhile."
-Etienne, re: being in the zone while fighting
About five minutes after the bout, I was (still) catching my breath in the pavilion when Avery (then Colin) came up and pointed out the five inch long, slightly bloody rent in the sleeve of my shirt. And the three inch long slightly bloodier gouge on my shoulder.* Until he mentioned it, I'd never felt anything but the blow landing. Now that's a memorable fight.**
*If memory serves, he pointed this out by sticking his finger through the hole in the shirt, poking the injury and saying something like "Doesn't this hurt?". Irish battlefield medicine in action...
**It should be noted that the tear/injury was not caused by a broken or untipped blade. It was simply a combination of speed of attack and the angle of impact that tore the shirt and abraded the skin. At any rate, the look on the Marshall-in-Charge's face when I reported this "equipment failure" made it completely worthwhile."
-Etienne, re: being in the zone while fighting