Sorry for the way you were treated.
I started growing plants when I was pretty little (by the time I was five, I had a very nice plant collection). I was lucky that everyone was very supportive of me. The librarians would find good books for me about plants, my teachers would talk with me about plants and people would show me their plant collections. I even got to work overseas in a commercial nursery. It is too bad that not everyone is as supportive.
If the vendors are busy, the second best people to ask about orchids are the Orchid Society members. Often they can help give advice on orchids or know who is there that grows the orchids about which you have questions.
Some of these vendors come a long way to the shows and might be a little tired (up since six setting up, after a long drive and unloading the day before...or that morning).
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