so this is something that's been bothering me. i went to the yearly pirate event that happens locally, and i went as a mermaid. i had my tail on, some pearl necklaces, a shell headband, a necklace headpiece, rhinestones on my face, the whole shebang. i thought i looked like a cool mermaid, and i got a lot of positive response from it. lots of kids shouted "mermaid!" and i'd wave and say hello, they'd come talk to me and i'd chat with them in character, and i even handed out big beads as 'treasure' and some beads from walmart i claimed were 'pearls' i found in the ocean. i tried to ensure that i alternated who got what, and i didn't pick which gender got what. for the most part everything was going great, everyone was happy to see me and i even posed for some photos. i was having a good time, families were having good times, it was all gravy.
except for one particular moment that stands out in my mind as one of the more fucked up things i've encountered in a while.
at some point my partner and i got hungry, so we decided to head into the alley that had various food vendors to get something to eat. it was pretty hot in the sun, even with my parasol, so i was parked alongside the food truck in the shade so i could be comfortable. while i was relaxing there, spraying myself with the water bottle on occasion or adjusting my fluke so my feet didn't fall asleep, i was spotted by two young girls. hearing them talk i heard that the girls were three and four years old, respectively. as soon as they saw me, they went, "a mermaid!" "look mommy, a mermaid!" and so i smiled and waved even though i wasn't up for being in character at that moment because i was waiting for my lunch.
and then, the unthinkable happened. the mom looked up, saw me, then bent her head down to the kids and said, and i quote, "that's not a mermaid. that's just someone dressed as a mermaid." i was completely floored. i mean, yes, technically she was right, but who the hell says that to children not even old enough to attend school?! i watched their faces as those words sunk in, and they went from happy to absolutely devastated. i had no idea what to do, or how to react to that. i had pulled some beads out for them, but i put them back into the bag because it was obvious i wasn't going to be able to give it to them.
i watched, at an utter loss, to see what the kids were going to do next. one of them piped up and asked me how i turned into a mermaid. you know, kid logic. her little brain turned "she's dressed like a mermaid" into "turned into a mermaid" which was very sweet. since i wasn't actually sure what she had asked me since i was near the motor on the truck i repeated her words, and her smiling face nodded which assured me that i had heard her correctly. so i replied, "well, a pirate did it!"to which she turned and said, "mom! a pirate!" and the mom actually ignored her. she did not care that a pirate had turned someone into a mermaid, and was more focused on her smart phone than her environment.
i was flabbergasted, to say the least. and then, when i didn't think it could get any worse, it did.
after the lady and her girl friend got their food, they happened to walk past me in my wagon. the girls tried to wave and approach me, and the mom grabbed them and pulled them away as they left.
i had no idea what to do, but i was so shocked i forgot to look happy for the other kids in the alley eating lunch. when my brain kicked back into gear i resumed my expression, but that bothered the hell out of me. why would you take your kids to a pirate event if you're going to tell your kids that all of it is made up, essentially make-believe? crushing their innocence isn't going to help them become better people, and will make them incredibly jaded before they even hit puberty.
the only thing that put a genuine smile back on my face was the little girl who asked me if i was ariel's cousin. since most little kids have seen the little mermaid i was anticipating something like this, so i replied that i was and that i would say hi to her for the child. the happiness on her face completely made my day, and i hope i made hers as well.
but this doesn't stop the fact that apparently there are parents out there who will tell their children these sorts of things without any regard to the consequences. i almost wonder if she's the same type of person who will take their kids to disneyland, then proceed to tell them that none of it is real. it's soul-crushing to a child, and i cannot fathom why she bothered bringing her kids at all if she was just going to hurt them emotionally.
