SD 05/17/03 "The Con-fusion Continues" aka "MiT - Men in Trek" #2 - Well, at least we know where to get clothes and transportation now.
I left the "Neko-con 2000" sci-fi/anime convention, and found out from a cab driver about a clothing store down the street. I went there, made up a story to the clerk about someone swiping my regular clothes, and he was more than happy to sell me some. The shoes themselves are more or less okay, but I needed new clothes for everywhere else. I grabbed a few shirts socks and underwear, a pair of sunglasses, as a number of people were wearing those even indoors (something called "Ray-Ban"s). As for slacks, most of what I saw seemed a bit pricy, but there were some pairs called "bell-bottoms" that were discounted. I went ahead and got them as I saw them on a few others around, but I wonder what the "retro-fashion" comment someone made means?
I also got a newspaper, which I read on the way back. The front section was news articles on their Presidential election, which the historians will like, but I was more interested in the automotive sales. The ads for new vans had prices way beyond my reach, but there was a section of the paper with posts by ordinary people advertising items for sale, including cars, vans, and trucks. Some of the ads looked promising, but only one seemed to be in good shape and within our budget.
Getting back, I was greeted by Lynx who prompty kissed me right on the mouth! Lott was also, unusually affectionate. Lynx explained that they had a run-in with someone who looked like me but was less than pleasant. Not having seen it and with the man in question now gone, I didn't dwell on it for very long. It was probably someone with a slight resemblance, although the idea of me running into an "evil twin" is less than pleasant."
I explained where I had gotten the clothes, and Lynx and Tarra seemed to like my choice in fashion. It turned out they had found a way that might get us a little more cash and even if it didn't we'd have a little fun in the process: a "cosplay" costume contest, where the costumes were judged, and skits were encouraged. Tarra did a "Kirkesque" combat roll and phaser fast-draw, Engisn Ennien and I did a mock fight, but what really got the audience cheering was Lynx's singing. She sang a heart-touching song, "Is My Star to Come?" That really got the audience roaring. I don't think she expected to win - she fainted when she heard the news.
Also, it seems Ensign Ennien found another way to get a little cash, though only I was in position to take advantage of it at the time. Apparently he had asked him about the possibility of selling the uniforms. Lynx and Tarra at first wondered if he meant their "suits," but he stated he couldn't pay what he thought they were worth. I offered mine, he looked it over, and offered an ammount of money that I couldn't be certain was fair, but he acted like he was sincerely making a fair trade, so I took it. As some Orion once remarked, "You can't go broke making a profit."
And with this latest infusion of cash and Lynx's check from winning the contest along with my ill-gotten gains from earlier, we began to head to the door to the nearby clothing store. Good thing about the convention, they can always say my friends can say they were making a slight change to their "costumes."