Hey, world, this is Gray- a Dragons Lair "This is Me" challenge submission
Reference song: 'I am what I am' George Hearn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lupNzpcpDRk
An entry in the Dragons Lair "This is me" Challenge.
Dragons Lair This is Me-Challenge
Hey world, it's me, Gray.......
(Gray walks out onto an empty stage. The room, a large auditorium is empty. On the stage, there is only a wooden stool, and a microphone. Other than the light center stage, the room is dark. Gray comes to center stage, and looks around. Once he has surveyed the room, he takes the microphone in paw, and he speaks.)
So, this is the place, is it? Where we've been invited to tell the world who we are......looks like the turnout is a bit.......weak. Not that I really expected much different. I'm not so vain as to think that what I have to say is of much interest, except maybe to me, and a few others. Still, I figured it was something I ought to do. Everyone should do it- stand up in front of the world, and tell people who you are.
Of course, before you do that, you've got to figure that out yourself. Strange, isn't it? You'd think we'd all know who we are. Funny how hard that is, when you have to explain it to a bunch of other folks. I mean, is it how I look, what I've done, is it some collection of meaningless statistics? Got to be more to it than that. Is it some big metaphysical thing, like how I fit into the master plan of the universe? (he laughs)
I'm not sure I have a place in the big master plan......Well, I've thought on this a bit, so let me give it a try.
(Gray settles in on the stool, as if he might be there a while. He sits for a time in silence, before raising the microphone to speak.)
I.....am a provider of content. I'm a foot soldier in the furry fandom. I am one of that anonymous throng, that fill web sites, stock the galleries, enter the contests, post the memes. You might have expected me to say that I am an author, a writer, a scribe. I could have done that. I DO write, though I find all of those titles terribly pretentious. I provide content. It's not great literature. I write soap operas, yiff, comedy. Something to read, to smile, to toss away. Like a newspaper, or perhaps a comic book. You might think that I minimize what I do. Not at all! The fandom is a relentless glutton, demanding tons to feed the fandom every day. Every morning, people get up, expecting fresh stories to be there waiting. Not just a few, either! The cat people want cat stories, the babyfurs want diapers, and the gamers want their video heros and heroines. We provide that. And toward what end? It's not like we get paid, or even that there are talent scouts out there, waiting to discover us.
(Gray shifts a bit, getting comfortable again before he continues.)
Not that writing is all I......WE.......do. There's art. Artists are content providers, too. There's even more demand for art. Writers bitch that no one reads anymore, but folks sure love pictures. The art not only ends up on sites, but there are commissions, badges, requests....Artists can actually make a buck or two, unlike writers, but I've yet to meet anyone getting rich on it.
Let's set this straight; I might write, but I ain't no artist. No sir, not me. I couldn't draw a picture in the dirt with a stick if you put a gun to my head! But, I do like comics. Got to thinkin' a while back "Wouldn't it be nice if my stories had pictures? Then folks could see the characters, like I see 'em in my head!" Well, like I said, I ain't no artist. But I know a few who are. So, I find someone who turns my story into pictures- imagine that! Folks seemed to like 'em, so I did more. Comics turned out real popular, they did. Seems that folks like a few words, and lotsa pictures. That's OK; it's still my story, after all. Luckily, I got someone who's really good, and I think he kinda likes making comics of my stories.
For a long time, I did sexy comics. Then, I wondered if people would read- you know, my stuff, even if it didn't have the sexy stuff. So I decided to try. Know what? They did! Bunch of 'em read the new comic, even though it didn't have a lick of sex anywhere! Damnedest thing I ever seen.....
Like I told you, I'm no artist. But, I figgered out how to use these new digital camera things. I'd take pictures of trees and flowers, cars and buildings.Stuff like that. But I've got this collection of Poodle dolls. Don't you laugh now; I know how it sounds- a grown fox playin' with dolls. But, I'd take pictures of the Poodle dolls, and I'd practice. You know, tryin' to get them better and better, lighting, composition, all the artsy-fartsy stuff. People laughed at first. I don't blame 'em. Poodles eating at the table, driving cars, doing laundry. Kinda funny. But, that's the idea. The whole idea, really. The whole thing id funny- you know, animals acting like little people?
Folks liked the pictures too. But it's not art, now. It's 'content'. Art is stuff you see in stuffy old buildings; 'content' is as close as your nearest computer. It's LIKE art, only for regular folks, people who maybe don't go to art galleries.
I do other stuff, too. Journals, where I just write about something that interests me. Sometimes other people get interested, too. Folks write back, and tell me what they think. I meet a lot of people from journals. I write to other journals, too. Answering journals, commenting on stuff, that's 'content' too, you know. Sometimes, people just write stuff in journals.....Don't know, I guess they got no one else to talk to. I always try to write them. Say something friendly, try to cheer them up. People need folks they can talk to . I reckon that some folks ain't got that in their real lives, so they come here......
Well, look at me! I'm here to tell you about me, and here I go, just rambling on over this 'n that......So, ....uh, .....'me'.......
(Gray pauses. He finds a bottle of water under the seat, and takes a drink. When he resumes, he looks down, his voice a little lower)
Uh,,,,,,Well, I'm a fox......and, uh, I'm kinda......old. That's the 'Gray Muzzle' thing. I'm kina average weight, average height your basic red fox. My face went gray a long time ago......(he strokes his tail) Got a few spots where the coat wore thin.......I'm ....maybe a little shy. I'm not young, like most of you are. The things you do, like 'gaming' and 'texting' whatever that is, I don't understand. Sometimes, I just don't fit in....When I go to conventions, I enjoy the same things everyone else does. I like to talk, to make friends, to go places, and do things, just like you.
There's one other thing. I'm .....straight. I know that's kind of a turn off to a lot of you, but, it's just ME....it's who I am. Look, I didn't ASK to be born this way! Through some weird cosmic crapshoot, it's how I came out- a straight, male furry. So, I'm not exactly like a lot of you out there. I'm married. My wife is not part of the fandom, but she sees the enjoyment I get from this, so she humors me. Even went to a FurCon. Even took pictures for me, even if she did occasionally refer to 'you, and your fruitcake friends'
But, even if I'm not EXACTLY like you, a furry heart beats....irregularly....in this old chest. And, I'm not ashamed to say 'I am furry'. Not everyone knows about this part of my life. You see, I have another life. One where people might not understand this side of me. Still, if you come to see me at work, you'd probably notice all the foxes in my office. Or the Tigers in my waiting room. The people in my life who matter, know. As to the others? Well, perhaps in time.....
You see where I was going? This thing, this exercise? It never was about everyone else. It's about YOU. That's why the house is empty. Each of us stands alone before the mic, and gets to declare who we are. Your obituary? They....the world out there, the world you leave behind writes that. You alone get to define who you are.
I am Gray.
I provide content.
(lays down the mic, stands and leaves the room.)
This is me