Great Wisdom In You, I See

(I am an avid trivia buff, so while on a cruise, I go to most of the trivia events. One night, we’re sitting through movie poster trivia; the host has removed the titles from classic movie posters, which are shown on a screen, and the idea is to identify the movie. He then asks various bonus questions about each one. I am married, but my husband is not on the trip with me, so I don’t have access to his plentiful film knowledge. One of the movies in question is “The Force Awakens,” which I can identify easily enough, and I’m delighted that I know the answers to all of the Star Wars bonus questions. Once all of the posters have been examined and the bonus questions asked, we review the answers.)

Host: “Now, what movie is this?”

Almost Everyone: “Star Wars: The Force Awakens!”

Host: “Good! Make sure you specifically have The Force Awakens written down. First bonus question: what is the fastest ship in the galaxy?”

Almost Everyone: “The Millennium Falcon!”

Host: “Who is the co-pilot of that ship?”

Almost Everyone: “Chewbacca!”

Host: “And what is the name of his home planet?”

Me: “Kashyyyk!”

Host: “What?”

Me: “Kashyyyk.”

Host: “I… I actually don’t know what to say. I’ve been running this trivia game for weeks, and this is the first time anyone has actually known the answer to that question. Even I didn’t know the answer to that question.”

Me: “So… do I get the point?”

Host: “No one here can refute your answer, so yes, you get the point. I had no idea I was in the presence of the trivia queen.”

Me: “I’m a sci-fi nerd by marriage.”

Host: “No, madam, you’re just a nerd.”

(Everyone laughs and we continue the answer review. I do not have the highest score at the end of the game, so I don’t receive one of the promised prizes. However, the host approaches me.)

Host: “In honor of your remarkable knowledge, I have this for you.”

(He put a MEDAL around my neck. I’d sailed with this cruise line before, so I’d seen these medals in the past: a blue ribbon with a silver charm shaped like the cruise line’s logo. They’re usually awarded for the various athletic competitions. I thanked him for the gift, then immediately texted my husband at home to tell him what happened. For the remainder of the cruise, I was variously identified as “the Chewbacca lady” and “the trivia queen” by both staff members and other passengers.)