"merman, pop. merman."

i wanted to write a little about the coney island mermaid parade i checked out last weekend. i wish i had taken more pictures, but i was just mesmerized by the sights and sounds of a world so foreign to me that i kept completely present. growing up in tennessee and then spending several years in south carolina, i wouldn't say i have been too exposed to drag king/queen titans, glittered covered women dressed as sea creatures, and all the spontaneity the coney island boardwalk has to offer including beach bums, carnival rides, blasting music, and your typical crazy here and there shouting about the world coming to an end. with one glance i saw little kiddies eating corn dogs the size of their heads, holding their parents hands while trying to pull away to chase seagulls. right next to this family- a man in dreads drumming away to his own beat on a set of makeshift bongos. i felt like i was in some kind of pee-wee herman movie where every turn leads to vibrant colors and carnival characters. i felt alive. whenever i feel like i'm in a pee-wee herman flick or an indiana jones movie, i know i am on the right path in life. two women on stilts dressed as mermaids with long, blue hair came sweeping past me on either side, and i felt like a six year old who lost her parents, but wanted to keep exploring on the crowded boardwalk. the parade is held annually to celebrate the "sand, the sea, the salt air and the beginning of summer, as well as the history and mythology of Coney Island, Coney Island pride, and artistic self-expression." mission accomplished. there was this little section off the boardwalk where a crowd had gathered. so, of course, i had to make my way in and see what the excitement was all about. "Shoot the Freak." what? in a small quad down below the boardwalk, a man sprinted from barrier to barrier trying not to get hit by two loud hicks (i'll say it) who were rolling with laughter, shooting paintball guns at the "freak." don't get me wrong, i love paintball, but something about this just didn't sit right with me. i mean, the game itself seems fun, but i guess i didn't care for the title of the game. does this condone ignorance? "hey this person is different, a freak, let us shoot him." i know the title is silly and everyone was having a good time, but part of me over analyzed the whole thing. we are all freaks. maybe the point of the title was to embrace our inner freak and make light of the fact that society tends to 'target' the 'freaks.' i like that, if so. that's why i like lady gaga, she is a self-proclaimed freak. i wouldn't shoot paintballs at her though. or would i? anyways, the entire day was amazing. i am so grateful that i got to experience the coney island boardwalk and all its glory on such a beautiful, summer day.