Mocking Mundanes

[Peddlin]

I personally would have to consider approaching the offender to see if he might start to interact. I might even have to ask why he is there, if he finds the atmosphere so offensive and point out that he paid to be there, so he might as well try to enjoy it. Most of us are so comfortable and at ease with each other, that we don't even see what we must look like to others, who don't participate. I can understand how they could view our world as totally alien, but if we took the time and had the patience to try to draw them into it, they might even become converts. The first time I went to a ren faire, I must admit that, eventhough I kept my mouth shut, there were moments that "gave me pause". Of course, I was a little envious of the people that had the self-confidence to participate. Now, I have been at this for years, and I love being one of the "weirdos". And I feel so very fortunate to have gained my ren family. The poor little "danes" should be so lucky. Have patience with them.

[Ranna]

Generally, the more you're outnumbered, the more you need to appear to be a psychotic on the verge of murder. It's crude, but effective.

You sound like my husband. *LOL*  Perhaps for next year I'll have to think of some witty (if not embarassing) lines should I encounter such a situation (which I'm sure I will).  As I mentioned I've been working hard to lose alot of weight, and I promised myself I was going to buy something a bit more "showy" cause I deserved it.  I'm still gonna be a curvy girl - can't reshape all of what God gave me! and I guess I just want to brace myself for shallow minded individuals.  While I can apprecaite and wholly understand the ideal of taking the higher ground, I think rude people should be sometimes reminded their words/actions sometimes do have repercussions.  Not all jokes are harmless.

[Cormac]

You sound like my husband. *LOL*  Perhaps for next year I'll have to think of some witty (if not embarassing) lines should I encounter such a situation (which I'm sure I will).  As I mentioned I've been working hard to lose alot of weight, and I promised myself I was going to buy something a bit more "showy" cause I deserved it.  I'm still gonna be a curvy girl - can't reshape all of what God gave me! and I guess I just want to brace myself for shallow minded individuals.  While I can apprecaite and wholly understand the ideal of taking the higher ground, I think rude people should be sometimes reminded their words/actions sometimes do have repercussions.  Not all jokes are harmless.

Remeber for every shallow minded brat there are ten gentlemen that quietly appreciate ladies.  Maybe good gentlemen like myself need to step up and voice the compliments we tend to keep to ourselves.

[Anna Iram]

This past season while visiting MIRF I was walking with friends and passing through a crowded spot near a pub we came upon a group of young men. I was first in our group to pass through. I smiled and received a smile back and they stepped aside making a way for us to pass . What I didn't realize was that as I passed one of the "gentlemen" made an attempt to grab my bottom. Now I wear hoops so my bottom is a bit difficult to get to. I just thought it was an innocent jostling of the crowd that I felt. Well, my girlfriends behind saw the whole thing and raised all kinds of hell with them. It was quite a scene.  The men of course played the innocent card. While it's not my first choice to go wild on someone like that( I'd have probably given him whatfor more privatly) I think a quiet scathing remark would have fallen on closed ears. In that situation I think he deserved to be outed, and loudly. He went to far and other ladies in the area needed to be warned to watch out for him and his friends.

Just a thought here, but getting into a battle just get's everyone fired up and nobody ends up feeling good about the thing. Perhaps quiet words to the offender letting him know you heard what he said and thought it unkind would wake him up. Maybe not. Always worth a try. Perhaps also making a point of passing along a kind word to the target of his comment. A complement might balance out the unkindness.

[Feline Groovy]

I know the temptation to jump down the throat of people can be overwhelming, especially in that initial surge of irritation, but it's generally counter-productive.  'Wow, faire people don't only wear stupid outfits, they're also yelly and bitchy too. What jerks.' is not the memory we want them to go home with, right?  Besides, quite often that sort of thing is sparked by their own uncertainty -- they're out of their element and don't know quite what to think about us so they mock.  Usually I just let it slide but there are a couple of times I've idled over to the snickerer and co. and engaged them in conversation where I am genuinely curious about what they think and why, maybe point out some particularly nice details about the outfit they might not have noticed or maybe just chat about garb in general, see what they'd get if they could have any one item of clothing for free, etc.  It usually gets them thinking about garb and the people in it in a different way -- and it also subtly lets them know that their initial reaction was indeed noticed by other people so if they're going to keep being paychecks, they want to be much more careful about it in the future. 

By the way, that's in reference to cases like the snickerer in the first post.  In the case of grabbers as mentioned above, fry them.  BUT NOT with a long-winded rant.  That gives them time to gather their (small) wits and react, whether it's acting indifferent or just turning and walking away.  The best way I've found to deal with grabbers is to make solid eye contact and announce, 'If it isn't yours, YOU DON'T TOUCH IT' in a level but very clear, carrying voice.  Then walk away.  If they act like they're shrugging it off, ignore it.  They heard you -- and they know everyone around them heard it too and knows they were paychecks.  That'll stick with them much better than a tirade, shrill, fluent, or otherwise.   

[Cyron]

i usually just ignore there presence when they say stupid stuff about people in garb..

however.. them little bastard kids with those wooden weapons.. thats a whole nother ball park.. just cause i have leather armour on does not mean, hey come hit me.. then parents getting mad at me when i yell at them.. or after that there parents watch them hit or attempt to hit me again, wooden weapon is now in my possession with the treat of breaking it. i have no resevations on telling those kids and parents what i think.  though i did get security called on me once when after the 3rd time of some kid wacking me when not looking in the back of the claf (no armor there) i took the weapon and threatened the dad that if he even swong that thing again within 10 feet of me it was going up his arse and getting broken off.

[Headn Mcrack]

I would have found somehow to demonstrate that I am regimental under the kilt, there usually is no come back for that. I know I know I am supposed to take the high road but hey sometimes I just have to take a short cut on the low one.

[Martin Montgomery]

 I was at TRF on Saturday the 1st,Pirate Weekend and I throughly enjoyed myself all day ,that is until late in the afternoon. That  is the length of a day at fair,always seems to get to me and I tend to lean on my walking staff more than normal. Reaper and myself were trudging along and we passed two couples,cunningly garbed as REDNECKS, when one of he men reached out and staff! I turned to him and requested ,very nicely,that he let my property go. His answer was to state "The day is almost done and you need to give this stick to me ,you don't need it anymore!"  I  stopped about twenty feet away so I turned to this gentleman and asked,in my best Scot accent "Well sir why do ye need it?" "I just want it. You need to give it to me." Was his only answer. Now I am a tolerant man and used to people admiring and/or offering to BUY my staff, but this DRUNK was expecting me to GIVE it to him!! So I did. Holding it up so the stones set in the ball at the crown sparkled in the sunlight I asked "Well Sir, where would ye like it and which end would ye like first,the Staff or the Ball?"  "I want 'em both" he answered "Give it!" With as smooth a smile as I could muster I addressed his gigling cohorts and wiggled my eyebrows "BOTH,He says!! He MUST be a Hell of a man if he can take the whole length!!" His friends burst into laughter and the throughly redfaced man sat down!! Then I rejoined Reaper,who had a big smile on his face,and we continued destination!!!

[Bugsy]

I would have flirted with her in front of him, going so far as pressing my cleavage against hers to exchange glitter - then look over at him and turn my nose up. Actions speak louder than words.

ditto this!

or at least said really loud how hot she was.

[Carl Heinz]

When you're in costume, keep in mind that other customers probably assume that you are a participant.  So please remember that the event generally likes repeat business.

So it's best to attempt to exit a problem situation by keeping in character assuming that the event might want the offender as a returning customer.  The second is to get event security involved.  In the latter case, the offender will likely be removed and invited not to return.  But the "and don't come back" is a decision that should be left to the event.

Years ago, if a fellow guild member addressed you as "Cousin" while interacting with a customer, that indicated that they were in a problem situation and wanted you to help.  This was usually done by reminding the fellow guild member that they needed to be at "X" and walk away with them.  This convention seems to have fallen out of use, though.

As an aside, I generally won't be in costume at other than my home events.  This is generally because I'm unfamiliar with the layout of the event and would have difficulty assisting other customers when they ask me such things as the location of the nearest privies nor do I know if the scooter I use for Sparky/Lightning can maneuver the site.  I've also been known to start interacting with folks I know from other events but who may not recognize me in "civies".  This can be fun especially if you come up behind someone and start talking.  They'll know the voice, but keep looking for the face.  (I used to shave the beard off between events.  These days I generally have it much shorter than for an event.)