I met a guy the other day, who was a reenactor...and also a member of the SCA--the Society for Creative Achronism, or something like that. When I was at the height of my Whovianism, back in the mid to late 80's, a lot of my pals at Doctor Who Northeast, the local fan club (numbering at its peak around 400 members), belonged also to the SCA. One was a historic reinactor and also he belonged to the SCA. I had this one friend who used to like to go "mundane freaking."

Mundane freaking is what he called it, when he'd dress up--as a Beefeater, a Celtic warrior, a knight, a colonial American Dutchman, a Civil War soldier, what-have-you, and go for a walk through the capital city's busy downtown during lunch hour. Now, he'd been to the UK a number of times--yes, dressing up there, as well. The reactions from the British, and the reactions of Albanian's (what they call us natives of the Albany, NY area) were wildly different.

Now, I have to tell you, factually, that people from northeastern New York state--most especially from the area around the captial city of Albany, are some of the most mean, grasping, suspicious and obnoxiously rude people, you'll ever want to meet. They make the French look downright genial. They might not appear that way to a visitor, but trust me...I've got a history with these people. I grew up outside of Albany, and then, at 19, when to Wyoming/Montana for the summer--came back...and it literally was like culture shock. I was flabberghasted to realize how mean "my people" were! Wow. Impatient too, very, very impatient..and did I mention somewhat paranoid?

So, in the later part of the 1980's, my SCA buddy would walk down the streets of London or Manchester or Middlebrough, in his fancy dress, and people would smile and get a geninue kick out of seeing him.

Then, he'd go walk down Abany's main streets--the State street hill, leading down from the Captial building, filled with towering office blocks and hotels and shops. Or uptown slightly, down Central Avenue, with its many little shops and resturants, or perhaps around the captial park or the ultra-modern marble monstrosity known as the Empire State Plaza. And...

People would ignore him--I mean, avoid looking at him, walk around him like he was a leper or had the plauque.

I used to collect antique saddles, equestrian items and authentic old-time cowboy gear. And, at the time, I was still actively riding, as well, so I had western riding clothes, too. One time he persuaded me to come with him. So, I grabbed my chaps, boots, spurs, old-time bib-style western shirt, genuine 75 year old Texas cowboy hat--even a lariat (yes, I used to throw a rope..but only at a plastic calf head stuck in a bale of hay)...and I went with him. Ha-ha! Knowing how I'd be dress, my buddy was dressed on that occaision as a Civil War private, his friend--who was an actual member of the Iroquois nation, was dressed like an 18th Native American. The looks on people's faces! I felt like a silly prat at first, but then started to get into it--especially when my buddy's Native American friend began encouraging me to do my western accent. We started walking around, acting like our alter-egos, pretending that we'd just been transported into the future--OMG! It was hilarious! Probably one of the best afternoons--well certainly, one of the most amusing day outs, I've honestly ever had in my life.

Unfortunately, the Native American friend passed away shortly after that in an accident, and that was my only time to do anything like that. But, gosh, if someone asked me again--hell yes, I'd do it. I just has such a blast. Mundane freaking is FUN!!!