Pausing only to consider which wombat posted the diversion route off the Adisham Road that gave me an entertaining tour of the Kent Countryside, this intrepid reporter once again embarked on an in-depth sociological study of those strangest of creatures - the sessioneers.
Their natural habitat is unknown, but they gather at a watering hole known as an 'Inn' or 'Pub' where they make their way from the surrounding area. Once inside, they display mild territorial behaviour and need to be settled in just the right place with refreshments to hand before they begin their ritual calling. Only taking place after the hours of darkness, this ancient custom attracts local wildlife, some of whom enter the 'session-place' and soon begin to imitate the sessioneers while others, perhaps too timid to enter, peer through the windows at the scene within.
A close inspection over many nights reveals that not all 'sessions' are in fact the same. Some are quite clearly running to some unwritten lore which all the participants know while others are structureless and without obvious rules as to conduct. Curiously, it doesn't seem to matter whether there is a leader or not amongst the 'pack'. The well behaved session can be leaderless and run along what seems to mere humans to be absolutely democratic lines whilst the most anarchic of sessions can have a clearly identified leader or 'Alpha Sessioneer'.
The behaviour of the Alphas is interesting. An Alpha may be dominant in one session but submissive in another. A Session might contain several Alphas who, if they perceive themselves to be on neutral territory are not actually threatened by each other's presence. There is though sometimes a territorial imperative at play when an Alpha sessioneer appears to belong to the 'session-place' and therefore all sessioneers who enter must pay homage, but that is a relatively rare occurrence in this reporter's experience. It is notable that Alphas can be of either sex and there are no signs of discrimination amongst sessioneers in any respect.
Of course sessioneers are free to enter or leave a 'session-place' at any time and it is very rare indeed that sessioneers will drive one of their own out. Only a serious breech of session-lore or etiquette will alert the pack to the need to expel the transgressor. It is indeed a difficult skill to acquire as the lores of sessions vary and what is acceptable in one is not acceptable in another. Acquiring this intricate knowledge takes a long apprenticeship which is why presumably all sessioneers appear to be mature. Occasionally young will be admitted but are mostly supervised by elders.
Once in a while, sessioneers will be lured in to what the researchers call 'pseudo-sessions' or open-mics or folk-clubs and the signs of distress are immediately apparent. Instead of instrumental musical calling, voices are used and the sessioneer becomes fretful and restless at this strange and unnatural activity.
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