CHIC 2012

For those of you familiar with the Evangelical Covenant Church, we just sent Kyle to CHIC. Jonathan in 1994, Ben in 2000, John-Adrian in 2003, Chris in 2006, and Tracy, finally, got to go in 2009 after each of her sons vetoed the idea of her attending with them, aghast.*

We are only now getting the stories of what misbehaviors and non-behaviors occurred in each of those years.  In particular, we are only now getting the details of our nephew Doug's exploits when he went Ben's year. (Hi, Doug.)  Only vague stories had previously emerged, but now that he's 27, his cousins must figure the coast is clear.  They covered for him as well as for each other.

*Related, as it appears it should be, to ghost. Guest, host, hotel, hospital, hostile, hospitality - all from the Indo-European ambivalence about strangers.  Likely, every culture's ambivalence toward strangers.  Single individuals or even small groups were likely traders, worth knowing, and a large generalised tradition of welcoming same was likely an advantage.  Yet the world outside one's own was strange and dangerous.