Monday, July 23, 2012

Weekend 3 Part 2- Patron Sunday Torture

I now why none of the veterans really take a patron day.
It's boring.
It's tedious.
Yes you can go into the shops and watch the shows, but you can't play with people!!!

Thanks goodness my friend The Doctor was at the Faire with me because I would have gone crazy if I had been by myself. I think I did go crazy anyway. Being a patron has officially been RUINED for me by the magnificence of Street Cast.

After Saturday's episode of a classic "Hello my name is Anne I'm-fine-But-I'm-About-To-Keel-Over Drew." (Yes, I'm not using my real name, but most of you know my real name anyway). I think it might have actually been a good thing that I took an "easy day."
I hate easy days. Even though I got to do a few things that I don't really get to do when I'm on the Street.

I got to see Barely Balanced.
I ate some really bad-for-me Faire food. Yummy.
I got a henna tattoo. I love henna, and I really need to learn how to do it myself. 
I purchased a few clothing items that I would have a hard time justifying the purchase of as my character, like a bodice.
I also got to to into all of those lovely book stores and had to resist buying EVERYTHING IN SIGHT. There is still an owl hair clip that I am thinking about going back and buying really quickly before things start up next weekend. 
I spent a decent amount of time in the archery range practicing- and I have bruises to prove it! This will sound odd, but when I look at those bruises I feel like I accomplished something. I hit the bulls eye twice too! Only two days and I'm already hitting the bulls eye! 

On the other hand, whenever I saw a Street Cast person interacting with someone, I felt a deep pang of longing to be able to go and interact with the people. I had to resist the urge to start doing my street bits most of the day. It wouldn't have made a lick of sense because I was wearing actual girl clothes. I can't count how many times I was whining under my breath "I wanna play!"

Here comes the best part of my day.
I was dressed up in a semi-steampunk ensemble that was supposed to sort of emulate Kaylee Frye from the TV show Firefly. I was wearing a dress and had done my hair up in ribbons and was wearing make up. These are things that a good 90% of the cast has never seen me wear.
Some people didn't recognize me at first.
Some people just couldn't get used to the idea that I was wearing girl clothing. I've been wearing shorts and tank tops all season since I haven't seen much point in looking nice if I'm going to be sweating and under hot costumes all summer long. Plus, skirts are not that practical. They just aren't.

One cast member told me "You clean up real purty." Which sounds comical and it was, but at the same time the compliment was very sincere. I suppose it was my little duckling into a swan moment, but it's the first time that I have genuinely felt pretty for a while. Maybe it was the fact that I actually made people stutter and jaws did drop when people saw me, but it boosted my self esteem each time someone recognized me and did that little double take. The funniest part was with the people who just couldn't get used to the idea that I was wearing girl clothing. It made me feel real shiny inside.

I did take the day very easy compared to my usual Faire days. The Doctor was really tired from one full day of meandering around the Faire and complimented me on my endurance. I never really thought it took that much endurance before, but I guess that I must have a decent amount of it if one day of walking around can tucker out and Eagle Scout.

To be honest, even though I got lots of ideas for things that I will be adding to my costume wardrobe and prop box for characters, I was bored most of the day. Bored and restless. I felt like I needed to be doing something and couldn't sit still. I had a hard time going into shops because I've made a habit of not frequenting them too much. Then once I went into a few of them I never wanted to come out (books, so many lovely books).

Lessons learned- I can never go back to being a patron. Nor do I think I want to. I felt like I was on the fringe all day, looking in a world that was barred by a thin sheet of glass. I already have enough places where I feel that way, I'm not going to add another place to that list.

2 comments:

  1. BOOK STORE!!! I've been in there long enough to locate/purchase a new Robin Hood novel, and now I shall behave and keep out (never-ending temptation notwithstanding).

    You can shoot bulls-eyes?? Tonight will mark my third archery lesson in as many weeks, and my aim is still vexsomely* inconsistent. (*Not quite a word, but it expresses how I feel.)

    I recognized you, and was not at all surprised by how pretty you can be. :) I also keenly missed your presence on our side of the glass sheet. Whether or not being a patron will ever be the same for me (time may tell...), being Emeraude is certainly not the same without AnneDrew!

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  2. The bulls eye was completely a surprise to me! I hit it twice and can't figure out what the heck I did. Hopefully I'll get better. One of my friends has a bow and a target.

    Also- which Robin Hood novel?

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