s Thoughts from the Physics Chick: Melynstory

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Melynstory

This is my favorite story about Melyngoch (at least until I think of another favorite story). She may have to correct me on the details, but I think I’ve got the main story right.

Melyngoch was once in a class where she had to do a group project on Vandals. By “Vandals,” I mean members of the 5th century East Germanic tribe, not just destructive persons, generally. (I think it may have been an English class, since Melyngoch, being half English major, took a lot of English classes. I don’t remember what “Vandals” – or even “vandals” – were doing in an English class.)

The predictable approach would have been to stand up in front of the class and give a presentation along the lines of “These are the Vandals. This is what they did.” However, Melyngoch’s group, in a brilliant demonstration of “show, don’t tell,” decided to be Vandals for their presentation, which would involve yelling at everyone, taking them hostage in a corner of the classroom, and even kidnapping a random student from the hallway. (The “random” student, it should be noted, was actually a plant. By which I mean that he was a friend of Melyngoch’s who was happy to help out, not a botanical specimen.)

Of course, a Vandal must be seen to dress as a Vandal, and Melyngoch came to school wearing black, knee-high stiletto boots with 3” heels, red fishnet stockings, a red (or black?) bandana, dramatic red eyeshadow and various other scary, Vandal-ish accoutrements.

The presentation, as I recall, went off swimmingly, with only the wrinkle that Melyngoch had to spend the entire day in this garb – walking around campus, attending other classes, possibly going to work, even going to a party that night. So here’s the clincher: Nobody noticed.

Various parties smiled and nodded and may have taken a second look, but no one remarked “I say, Melyngoch, you’re looking a mite Vandal-ish, old bean” because, let’s face it, she pretty much dresses that way all the time. I grant you that she more often gravitates towards a “gypsy,” “pirate,” or “goth” motif but she’s always dramatic and often dressed to kill, in more than one sense. The Boy who Cried Wolf comes to mind, although the consequences were not as dire in Mel’s case. So cheers to Melyngoch, the girl who couldn’t get attention for dressing as a Vandal.

3 Comments:

At May 23, 2006 1:38 PM, Blogger JB said...

That's awesome.

 
At May 25, 2006 9:29 AM, Blogger Mrs. Hass-Bark said...

Seriously awesome.

 
At May 26, 2006 1:13 AM, Blogger Th. said...

.

Cheers!

 

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