Chronicles of Bicon

Given on the 24th day of August in the year 2000.

In the beginning was the Bicon. And it was without form and void and darkness gathered upon the face of the earth. And in the midst of darkness, voices were heard, London, Birmingham, Edinburgh and the legendary Norwich they said. We remember and we hope for the future.

And bisexuals did gather from the four corners of the globe, and their allies also, unto Manchester did they come. Great was the rejoicing of the organisers, they looked and saw that it was good. It was the evening and the morning of the first day.

Lo unto the opening plenary they came in their multitudes. Each spoke after their fashion and some listened and some hearkened not to the words of their leaders. And Tohu and Bohu, Lords of Chaos were heard in the land, and they did offer a workshop for the faithful. And mightily were the multitudes pleased by their programmes of all that was to come. Jenni bade them welcome and dispersed them to their workshops. But some heeded her not and went to the bar and waxed exceedingly loud. And so it went on, workshops, plenaries and those in the bar unto the third day. Whereupon Jenni spoke up again and all rejoiced, for it was a holiday throughout the land and Bicon continued, lo for a fourth day.

And then the voices of the organisers were raised at the closing plenary and many thanks were made to them all and their handmaidens, who had toiled so hard to bring about the Bicon.

Next year they said, next year unto Rotterdam, Coventry and even unto Sydney in the year after that, shall we come.

So they parted, each to their homeland and great was the jubilation of the organisers, for they too could go home. And they looked around, and behold it had been good. And they vowed, never again will we host a Bicon, not until the memory of it has faded from our hearts, our feet, our heads and even our purses. And it was so.

Felicity Cade