I love people. Its why I do what I do. I enjoy helping parents and children find what they are looking for, and love to have a great conversation along the way. Teaching and informing someone about a product they know nothing about, for me, is a great joy. I love seeing the light-bulb go off in people’s head.

I will never forget a convention I work security for several years ago. It was an anime (Japanese cartoons) convention dealing with people dressed up in costumes, shouting out “nerdisms” (sayings from movies, video games comics), and generally a rowdy crowd of normally anti social people being sociable. I was helping work the elevator banks where we had several hundred people trying to use six elevators to go up and down a very tall hotel. Supervision was need as this was a common foot traffic choke point. I was helping grab an elevator as the doors opened when a family of four stepped out and almost jumped back in due to shear fright. With conventions, the Con goers (people who attend the convention) usually take up 99% of the hotel rooms at a hotel and the surrounding hotels. There are always a handful of business men and/o,r very rarely, someone who has no idea that this madness occurs.

I reached out my had to the father and told him it was alright and that if they would come with me, I would show them a path out of the madness. The family huddled in fright as I lead them as they stared wide eyed with terror at what they could only believe was the end of the world. Myself, dressed in my normal attire for conventions, had my big fluffy wolf ears and and grey fluffy tail on and I am sure threw this family off. The Dad, in panicked but controlled tones, asked me what was going on. I told them that they had entered into a anime convention. I asked if they were in town for family, and they said they were attending a wedding and decided to make a family vacation out of it. They asked me the usual anime questions (what is it, why do people dress up, whats a popular one), and found they also enjoyed some of the classic Disney movies and other animated films and shows. I took my time and happily told them all I knew. We had reached the street at this time where we were in daylight and could see normally dressed people in places. They thank me for my time and went on their way.

I told a few people what had happened and we all had a chuckle over new people. The next day I had a friend come running up to me, asking what the family looked like, was it a father, mother and two daughters, and what ages they where. I was taken back in at this rush and asked him why. He explained that he thought he saw them over near a vendors area, called the Dealers room. I quickly walked over to see if they where in any trouble or needed any help. I found them in normal, vacationing attire with convention passes and bags of merchandise. As I walked up to them, they gushed to see me and started talking over one another. They where so impressed by how I explained everything to them that they decided to get passes and enjoy the show. They had found some toys from old shows the dad used to watch and just had to have them. The mother wanted to know if there was a place to rent costumes and dress up. They were completely enraptured in the whole experience. I helped them as best I could, beaming with joy the whole time. They couldn’t wait to get home and see if they had conventions at their hometown.

I will never forget that family. I never forget the joy I get by helping people. I want to continue to do that with this blog. I cannot wait to see if I can bring more joy in this world.