Event: Drawing booth for Library Comic Con
Location: Small town Iowa. Like real small.
Performers: Ms. Karen and Myself (Mr. Jerry)
We are told to choose a table and location and begin to set up. It’s a lunch room of a dimly-lit middle school. When meeting the director of the event, her energy is infectious and does as much for me in the morning as the airbnb coffee. That’s the thing about event jobs, is that from time to time, you meet some personalities that are nothing short of eccentric explosions. She was one of them, telling me all about the event like a monster truck promotor, and eventually informing me that she had actually initially seen us at a small Comic Con in Fort Dodge nearly two years ago.
‘Back then you said you hadn’t done any library comic cons, and now to see you traveling the country… It’s special. It’s something special forsure, and I’m glad I got to get you guys here. I’m like your groupie, you know, like those old concert followers, I’m always keeping an eye on if you are gonna be in the area.’
I couldn’t say much other than my gratitude for her and for how far we have come and taken this.
‘Sometimes it’s hard to tell if it’s us taking it further or it is taking us further.’ I told her.
We set up with our usual pizzazz: banners, rugs, Bob Ross plushy, paper, pencils, etc–all aimed at generating a welcoming and creative experience for passing partcipants. At our drawing booth our aim is to generate and collect as many drawings as we can. We tell interested participants to draw us as wacky as they can as we wear funny hats, props, and fake facial hair. To help we also juggle, play guitar, and bust out the unicycle every once in a while. We then magnet up all the drawings on a white board behind us so everyone can see the communal collage of creative expression. It’s quite fascinating to see all the creations juxtaposed next to each other, and many love returning and squinting to see theirs in the mix of it all.
The drawing booth is almost always the most attended booth at whatever event we do, and this was no different. This is saying nothing against the other vendors and activity, but we usually provide a very welcoming and energetic presence that makes it easy to be around. This being a small town even compared to small towns, the turn out was relative to its size. Usually with a place like this, everyone does know or know of everyone else in the room, and it’s usually a community hang out of some sorts with the kids getting some free and unique play time in.
In this set up, you will often get many return participants who have tried everything else or simply have nothing else to do. One such little girl kept returning to our booth, but never saying anything. She would draw and draw, and anytime I asked her a question, she would look up with large blue eyes, and either shake her head or nod. I’d ask if she could draw this: shake her head or nod. I would ask her if she wants this or that color: shake her head or nod. I would ask what her favorite animal is: shoulder raise. She would leave, then a few hours later come back. She wouldn’t start drawing or anything until I asked her, then once again, nod, head shake, nod, shoulder raise, nod, nod, head shake. And on she colored. I started feeding her pin cut out designs and she drew and colored them in. I’d go get them turned into pins, get more designs, then repeat. She didn’t say a word. Her blue eyes seemed to grow along with her smile everytime I asked if she wanted to do another.
This went on til the comic cons ended. Everyone left, we packed up, and said our goodbyes to those we could. She went on her way and I didn’t get a chance to give her anything. One of those minor moments where you feel an opportunity missed to show some gratitude. But we packed up, prepared our departure and started heading out when lo and behold, there were those familiar eyes hiding behind the leg of one of the other library directors.
‘Hi guys! Little Rowan, just wanted to say goodbye before we left. You are The-Guy-With-The-Pikachu-Ears that she can’t stop talking about.’
I was struck dumb by the force of the universe. I felt so honored. I told them both thank you and that it was a fantastic time. Rowan still didn’t say anything, but smiled. This time, however, I felt like I understood the smile and the blue eyes a little bit better.
