craaaack!

So some guy came back practice last week to check it out. He came early, about 6:15, and I explained to him that we start basics at about 6:30 and then when Hoshina-san shows up we start practice at 7:00. He watched until about 6:50 and then said he had to go, but was interested in starting next week. I was surprised, as he hadn't really seen much, and asked if he could fill out the membership application. He said he didn't have time but he'd be back next week. I didn't expect him to come back, but there he was. So he filled out the application, paid his registration and first month's dues, and starting doing basics with us. He'd been doing Zenkenren so he had the equipment and some basics, though his cuts lacked the 'cutting-ness' of Mugairyu.
By 7pm Tanaka-sensei and Niina-gosoke had showed up, and we started doing kata. Hoshina-san starts to teach this guy one-on-one, but he says he wants to practice the Zenkenren kata because there's a tournament coming up. Hoshina-san explains that, while we do sometimes do the Zenkenren kata, this is Mugairyu Iaihyodo. He insists. She speaks to Niina-gosoke, who, justifiably, explodes: "He wants to do Zenkenren? I don't care either way. But this is Mugairyu. We practice Mugairyu here. We don't go to Zenkenren practices and tell them we want to practice Mugairyu kata! You ask me, Zenkenren isn't koryu budo, it's nice movements, but we do koryu budo here. We cut with intent, this is Mugairyu!"
Suffice to say he packed up his stuff, we refunded his money, and he was out the door. Kind of surreal.

After that we ran everyone through a couple of pretend tournaments, with judges seated at the front, timing the whole thing to give people an idea of what the tournament on Sunday will be like. Lots of nervousness and people forgetting the basics like how to bow and hold the sword!
From 8:30 Niina-gosoke started the Hour of Pain and pummeled us once again. About 8:45, as I was performing a particularly talent-less draw, there was a stupendous "craaaack!" as I split my saya (scabbard.) It was an old saya, the original that came with the sword, and I had patched it up several times. I knew it'd crack one day, so I wrapped the top with duct tape, and glad I did, because that prevented it from splitting in two entirely. Gosoke immediately laughed and then asked "Did you cut your hand?" "No sir, just my pride." and he laughed again. I've got a couple more saya so no big deal, everyone cracks them eventually, but it really does illustrate how lame I am and how hard it is to do clean draws every time.