TheBanyanTree: Faire Time

[Russ Doden]

I'm sitting here not so patiently waiting for the hours to go by today.
You see, it is once again Faire time for me.  No, not Fair. FAIRE as in
Renaissance Festival kind of faire.  The Ren Rat may be aging and not
attend near as many events as I once did, but this is my "home" faire - the
only one I not only attend, but am a performer at.  In a few short hours,
I'll be loading the "Ox Cart" (that is my vehicles name during the run of
the Oklahoma Renaissance Festival) and heading down to Muskogee.  (Yes,
Muskogee, as Okie from)  The only reason I'm waiting for the hours to drag
by is that a friend of mine that does spinning demonstrations (spinning
wool on a spinning wheel) down there, and travels with me, doesn't get off
work until 3:30.  I pity anyone foolish enough to stand in the doorway at
her quitting time.  They would find themselves being run over in her mad
dash for the door!

I used to be like that - when I had to be at work.  So called retirement
has its benefits.  I can take my time loading and getting ready for the
trip through time and space!  During the following 5 weekends, I don't book
any metaphysical training classes or sessions for Friday through Monday.
Friday I'm getting ready and Monday I'm recovering - those are MY days.

It is only a 45 minute drive in time to get to the faire site, but a
journey from "reality" that can't be measured in miles or
days/weeks/months/years/lifetimes.  Yeah, it is all make believe, but those
of us (young and old) that are there in garb, we are there just to play and
have fun (even though it is hard work).  It is such a huge break from what
is "normal" for many of us from the rest of the year.  Somehow worries and
challenges get left behind - and we try to get the visitors to leave their
"reality" behind for the few hours they are there to have fun.  Those of us
on cast (and that includes merchants and performers such as your humble
scribe) can flirt and tease, cajole and pester, educate and entertain the
"mundanes" (visitors in 21st century costumes, or just pieces of "real"
attire mixed in with street clothes) with nearly total immunity!  Many is
the time I have been flirting with some winsome lass only to have her
significant other walk up.  Instead of telling me to get lost they will say
something like, "do that again so I can record it" and of course I'm more
than glad to oblige!

In truth though, I don't know who has the most memories at the end of the
day, the visitors or those of us that make up the "residents" of
Castleton.  Many are the memories I have of things seen and done that are
just as bright and shiny today as they were when first made!  Some of the
memories bring tears of joy, and some simple quiet smiles.

For me, it is a "once a year" time to be a real "musician" (though I call
myself just a noise maker) playing my 12 string guitar and occasionally my
bodhran.  At this event I'm the 3rd member of the duo "The Bedlam Bards."
They are based in south Texas whereas I'm in Tulsa, OK.  That makes
practices together impossible.  Our rehearsals are on stage - live - they
are called performances.  We have played together at this event so long
that most of the patrons think we are a trio.  I know their routine, and we
step on each others routines all the time.  The audience thinks that me
getting lost in the middle of a song is part of the act.  Sometimes it is
real - especially when they throw a song at me I've never heard before -
right in the middle of the set.  Sometimes I just get distracted by their
antics.  We do try to mess each other up during the sets - and often meet
with success.  I'm often the target of such antics too - after all, someone
has to give the audience someone to identify with!  As we go through each
set, complete with strings breaking on our instruments, lyrics forgotten or
switched around, new verses being made up on the spot, or simply stopping
in the middle of a song to take advantage of the opportunity to get a
"victimteer" to participate with us, the aim is to have fun.  We entertain
ourselves and let the audience in on it.

So, here I sit, waiting for time and space to shift, waiting for my vehicle
to turn into the "Ox Cart" to travel to a different time and place that
never was.

Your humble scribe,
Andrus of the Bedlam Bards

-- 
Enjoy Life By Living In Joy

Well Being Consultant
www.rldwbc.com