Dear Lisa:
Linda Bowland and Donald Garvey's son, Allen, began competing at age
three. He had wanted a costume "just like Dad". Linda made him a little
purple vest, with a hatchling dragon on the back; I donated one of my long
baggy blouses, which had a few buttons at the throat, but was designed to
pull over the head. On him it was a caftan. It sort of went with his Dad's
hall costume. It was never meant for stage, however, come the con, we're in
the hotel room waiting for the babysitter to arrive. No baby sitter. We
phone the desk. They have no record of it. An hour later, we give up and
ask if Allen want's to go on stage. Sure. The baby sitter arrives as we're
leaving; she's only an hour late. Sorry, but we've made other plans.
Linda and Don are in the wings; Allen has been an angel (wings, not
fangs) so far, but it if after eight and he's getting tired. One
presentation to go, and they're on. Allen starts to throw a temper tantrum;
he's tired. Don scoops him up and tucks him under one arm; gagging him with
the same hand.
(Now, the presentation was called: "Mr and Mrs Prince Charming... Three
Years Later". We'd spent a week collecting used cerel boxes; empty baggies
containters, etc. until we had three bags full of the stuff. Linda had made
a long green gown; it was beautiufl. She also took her old chineele robe,
which was dying. The two of us had made a purple velvet caftan/robe, with
red and silver and crystal sequins and rhinestone trim, with matching
collar, armlets, and belt and pouch. He wore that. He also wore sneakers.
In the room, Linda had given them both deep bags under the eyes. Don hadn't
shaved two days. Don wore a beaded and sequined circlet; Linda wore
something similar in gold, with her hair done up under it. They both looked
grey.
In the green room, while Allen ran around and charmed everyone, Linda
began the process of pulling out bobby pins, and letting her hair start to
unravel. The circlet fell over one eye. Don's hair was mussed, and his
circlet was approaching his eyes. Everyone was so helpful, trying to get
them mirrors, etc. so that they could fix their hair. People also kept
trying to throw out the props.)
Anyway, Gord reads their cue; the music does what the music has been
doing all evening and dies before it's born, so out goes Linda, with my Wolf
Bear, wrapped in blankets over one shoulder, as she passes the floor. Count
to ten. Don walks in with Allen. Allen bits him and Don lets him go.
Allen drops to the floor; picks himself up, and wonders around the stage
staring at people. Linda and Don mime their routine. Linda points to the
bags and to the "baby". Don shakes his head. Linda rolls her eyes and
walks off centre stage, patting the baby's bottom. Just as she is about to
go down the stairs, she patted the doll; looked at her hand and made a
exasperated face. (We instantly knew all the mothers in the audience.) A
crest fallen Don follows. At the base of the steps he realised that Allen
was not with him. He turns around and calls Allen. "NO!" "Come on!"
"NO!" Don has to chase Allen around the stage, to the roars of the
audience; sling him over his shoulder, and head off stage. Five minutes
later Allen is sound asleep.
They won Best Novice. They also kept being asked how they had managed to
get Allen to throw a temper tantrum on cue. (These people were obviously
not parents.)
Next year, Allen wanted a new costume. Linda made him "Thor as an
Innocent Young Child", all based on the small rubber hammer, which he liked
to use on hard things; such as my head. He has little slippers, and a fun
fur ragged skirt, with a painted and glittered "strength" belt, and a
buckram based winged helmet. The music was "Die Valkaryie" (and I know the
spelling wrong, but I can't see straight just now.) We simply told him to
go out there and run around; wave his hammer.
He did perfectly; the audience loved him. The judges were impressed and
kept telling us that even if kids didn't automatically win, Allen would have
still gotten "Best Young Fan".
At five, he announced that he wanted to do something quiet; he wanted
contrast. Linda and I got together and produced "A King of Elves", with a
costume inspired by Erte's style, rather than any actual drawing. Allen
picked his own music (Roger Whitiker singing "Greensleves"; and
choriographed his own presentation. He went out; did his thing; bowed to
the audience, and left the stage. Gord read the credits and for the first
time actually lost it. "That was Allen Garvey in a costume designed and
made by his Mommy. Presentaion choriographed by...Allen?????!!!!!!!!!" It
was so sweet!
He didn't compete for the next two years, since only Linda and I were
attending the cons. At eight, he announced that he wanted to do "Spaceman
Spiff". Again, Linda made the costume, including the blaster. We're back
stage. I hear hystericaly screaming and tell the people near me that Allen
must be on stage. Yep! If he hadn't been competing at a child, he would
likely have beaten out his parents for "Best in Show".
The next year, he wanted to do "The Purple People Eater". Linda made him
a black jumpsuit, with a silver lame stomach, wings, and tail. She covered
the jumpsuit with purple pallettes. The gloves were black, with small
sequins. The head was addapted from a tricrotops pattern, but with a
reduction in horns and eyes. She had planned to make feet, but Allen
announced that if the Purple People Eater liked Earth music, he would also
like Earth fashions. He would wear his running shoes, providing that she
including documentation telling the judges that inside those tiny running
shoes were tiny purple feet. Linda found an old platic guitar, the kind
that you give a five year old; and customized it; giving it a holographic
design.
She did the tape; two versus; one chorus; something like that; under one
minute at any rate. However, Allen would not rehearse. Finally, after much
nagging, he showed up his routine. Fine. Great. Pick our jaws up from off
the floor. Now, where had he seen Elvis?
He took the costume to Ad Astra and received "Best Young Fang". Since we
were going to Toronto Trek that year, he took it there as well.
This time Jacqui Ward was there. She had not seen Allen since he was
five and doing the King of Elves. The music started. Nothing. She's
waiting; wondering if Allen finally has stage fright. No; he's just waiting
for his cue. "...It looks like a purple people eater to me." And there he
is, a purple sequined Elvis! He received "Best Young Fan", along with a
comment from Jacqui: "When is he going to start competing as an adult?"
The next year, he and Linda both worked on the costume: "The Klingon
From the Black Lagoon". It received "Most Promising", at Costume Con 13.
Since then, Allen has not costumed much; he's been working as a catcher
most years. Next year, he plans on entering. He will have to sew his own
costume, with only a little coaching from Mom. He's looking forward to it.
Oh, and he's sixteen; six foot tall; and a "chick Magnet", according to
his chat lines.
Peace
Alixandra
eddana@hotmail.com
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