# Saturday, October 17: Marcus or the kiln?

**Recommendation: help Marcus move the couch.**

## Why

1. **He asked you personally.** Marcus picked you for this. The kiln day is open to everyone, and nobody there is counting on you. If you don't show up to the move, it's harder for him or it doesn't happen. If you don't show up to the kiln, nothing changes for anyone else.

2. **A couch takes two people.** One person can't move a couch alone safely. Your being there may decide whether the move works at all.

3. **The move happens once. Open kiln days come back.** Community studios usually run open kiln days on a regular schedule, so you will probably get another one soon. Marcus moves into this place once.

4. **It probably won't take all day.** Moving one couch usually takes a few hours. Ask Marcus what time he wants to start. If it's done early, you might still get to the studio, or you can ask the staff if they can fire your work at a later firing.

5. **Showing up matters to the friendship.** Helping someone move is the kind of favor people remember. That counts for more than one studio session.

## When the kiln should win

Pick the kiln instead if any of these is true:

- You have finished pieces that have to be fired by a deadline, like a show, a gift, or a class, and this is the last firing in time.
- Open kiln days at your studio are rare, for example once or twice a year.
- Marcus already has enough helpers and only asked you as a backup.
- You have a back, knee, or other injury that makes heavy lifting a bad idea.

If one of these applies, tell Marcus soon and help him another way: find him another helper, offer to come later to help him unpack, or bring food.

## Bottom line

None of those exceptions has come up, so go help Marcus. Before Saturday, confirm the start time with him and check when the studio's next kiln day is.