Frustration: A Small Rant

[fairyrune]

I am really sick and tired of the recent wave of grumpy zombie-patrons we've had at faire. You know, the ones that walk around as if they're in some sort of trance, and don't respond to any efforts to play with/entertain/sell them things/say hello. The ones that walk right by me when I try to sell them a rose, without so much as a "No, thanks," and occasionally, shockingly, fail to even notice me. ('Cause, ya know, I don't stand out at all.) The ones that get annoyed when an actor tries to engage them in witty repartee.

I know I'm not the only one who has noticed the sudden increase in this phenomenon.

Granted, they're fun and easy to mock, but there's only so many times one can comment on the zombie-like nature of the clearly living patrons before it gets old. I'm sure most of you would agree with me; it's getting VERY old. I, personally, am running low on jokes. I'm sure you've all heard me begging someone to get me a chainsaw a number of times. (For the love of all that is right with the world, DO NOT ACTUALLY GIVE BUBBLES A CHAINSAW! Bad things would happen.)

These people paid twenty bucks to get in, you'd figure they'd want to, oh, have fun or something. Apparently not. Kind of makes you wonder why they're there.

You know what? I'm there, (almost) every day, working my ass off from 8.30AM until at least 7PM, and I'm still smiling! Hell, most of the time, I'm having actual FUN! EVERY DAY!

If you come to the faire, and you don't want to have fun, or buy things, or play, or see your friends, GO HOME. We're just going to spend the day making fun of you anyway, and you'll just get pissier every time that happens, so why don't you go home and sit on your ass and watch TV or something. We're all trying to make you happy in our own little ways, and you're refusing, so get the hell out.

Then, there are the morons who pay their twenty bucks for the sole purpose of getting plastered on over-priced beer. GO TO A FUCKING BAR. Granted, the atmosphere won't be the same, but your drunk-ass girlfriend won't rant at me about how all of my roses are dead and/or refuse to let you buy her one because it costs the same as a beer. In short, go somewhere else so you don't waste my time and piss me off. You DON'T want to piss the fairy off. Once again, you'll be teased mercilessly.

I've been toying with this idea for a couple of weeks, and I'd like to know what you all think of it.

Every time some rude asshole completely ignores my (usually adorable) efforts to sell them a rose without even acknowleding my presence, I am going to scream "ZOMBIES! 'TIS THE UNDEAD! HEEEEEEEEEEEELP!" It's common courtesy to simply say "No thanks," and those who don't comprehend that should be embarassed.

Of course, that would mean breaking my fairly-well maintained character in front of patrons.

Thoughts?

Comments

[woodchuck665.livejournal.com]

Watching you scream anything would actually be very entertaining, since anything other than chirps and whistles would be out of character.

And if you'll excuse me, I need to return something to Home Depot. Now you tell me you weren't serious. Yeesh.

[fairyrune]

Honestly Woodchuck, do you really think it would be a good idea to put a chainsaw in my hands? Entertaining, yes. Smart, no.

[priestesm.livejournal.com]

If you like the idea of fairyrune screaming, you ought to see her slung over kilkainnan's shoulder kicking her feet and screaming "help...help....FIRE!!!!"

[xxxlotusxxx.livejournal.com]

Patrons at KRF were the same way this weekend. Ugh.

[transversecity.livejournal.com]

How's KRF going, anyway?

[fairyrune]

Crap. The virus must be spreading.

[transversecity.livejournal.com]

I think it's a brilliant idea.

Of course, at my faire, it was actually appropriate...

[fairyrune]

Heh. I sold more roses at WWRF than I sold on any one day in the past two weeks.

[synnoveaevael.livejournal.com]

dood. yesterday it was zombies on parade.

and yes. i like the zombie idear.

[fairyrune]

Did you guys do ok without me? Personally, I was mostly bored, except for the bit where I had a pina colada.

[odogonefishin.livejournal.com]

yar... zombies yesterday...

Archie and I attempted to fill your shoes... 2 large big lads replacing a wee fairy...

I didn't do too terribly... 30 roses... and a new respect for what you all do every weekend...

[fairyrune]

You guys sold roses and I missed it????? PLEASE tell me someone got photos!

[damnitnicole]

lol sup

[featherspy.livejournal.com]

Speaking only as a non-worker...

I am obviously only speaking for myself here, and as much as I like getting dressed up, I am really really shy around people I don't know. I like acting but I am no good at improv, so when someone I'm not familiar with approaches me speaking in an awful fake-accent, a thousand things are going through my head - "What do I do?" "Should I respond in an accent too?" "What if he wants money from me?(I usually have an idea of what I want from faire and how much I'm willing to spend)" "Is anyone watching me?" "Oh god, are those drunken morons over there laughing at me??" "I think my corset is too tigh-::faint::"

So, it's alot of pressure being put on you, when these people who do this every year, and have alot of regular jokes and skits they put on come up and ask me to sing along when I don't know the words. And that's for ME, someone who desperately WANTS to belt it out, but can barely even manage a feeble hum.

So how much can you expect from the regular folks who won tickets off the radio, or clipped coupons from the Penny Saver and are just looking for (mostly) wholesome weekend entertainment sans the bubetube?

[fairyrune]

All I'm asking for is a little common courtesy and perhaps some signs of life.

You have the common sense and manners to say "No, thank you" when someone asks if you want to buy something. You would never say, "No, those roses are dead!" One woman actually gave the finger to one of my fellow rose sellers.

It's one thing to be shy and uncomfortable around strangers. It's quite another to be rude and generally stupid.

[undergreenlight.livejournal.com]

I missed your face. It was an interesting weekend.

[fairyrune]

I missed my face too! Except for the bit with the pina colada, I was missin' y'all.

A-fucking-men!

[degnernj.livejournal.com]

I love that idea, but I just might die laughing if you do it in front of me.

Re: A-fucking-men!

[fairyrune]

I shall have to do it then!

Look at me, all friendin' you!

[pinball351.livejournal.com]

Ya, I can't imagine how you all deal with it. At least when I welcome folks into the booth, they usually at least smile. But there are those that walk in, stare at the pewter, stare at me briefly after my greeting, and then walk away.

I think I'm going to start firing the gnomapult at all the zombies. I hear they don't respond well to fire... so I'll use the oil from the dragon oil lamps we have.

Tee hee. they let me play with fire. And catapults! >:)

[fairyrune]

Crap. I'm going to have to have a talk with Sandie and Peter...

[mistress-kath.livejournal.com]

and occasionally, shockingly, fail to even notice me. ('Cause, ya know, I don't stand out at all.)

Yeah, we encountered some of those yesterday...they 'didn't notice' Erika. CARRYING THE HARP.

[fairyrune]

Wow...just...wow...

Frikkin' zombies indeed.

[gkingsley.livejournal.com]

There have been a bunch of times that there's a line down the stairs at the Boar, and I now how much people love to stand in lines, so I try to be entertaining so that they cheer up just a little. I stand behind the bar and yell, "hello, everybody!" And you know what I get?

Nothing.

It's bizarre. First weekend when I did that, I got a chorus of hellos back. Now, they just stare at me blankly. And now I know why: they want to eat my brains.

Re: Frikkin' zombies indeed.

[fairyrune]

My advice? Invest in a chainsaw. It'll take the heads off the easiest.

[damnitnicole]

Yeah. I've noticed that people will actually walk right into me when I'm out front yelling and hawking, rather than move to avoid me and thus admit that they saw/heard me.

Assholes. If you do that, do it in front of my booth, too. You may just cause Roy to explode, and that'd be funny.

[fairyrune]

I enjoy causing explosions!

[evilcoyote.livejournal.com]

('Cause, ya know, I don't stand out at all.)

You are pretty small. I'd be afear'ed one of them would step on you one day.

don't bite me! *run*