Confessions of an Urban Pirate

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

What funny things have happened to you when you were out in public dressed as a pirate?

One time, I had to pull into a drive-thru ATM while dressed in my pirate garb and driving my Mitsubishi Eclipse. The Eclipse was very low to the ground and despite my long monkey arms, I couldn't quite reach the buttons on the ATM machine.

So I reached over and grabbed the nearest thing from my sword belt, which happened to be my flintlock and started punching the buttons with the muzzle. It was then that I remembered that the ATM have security cameras and here I was, waving a pistol at one of them!

I can just imagine that somewhere there was a frantic security guy sounding the alert that a hold up was taking place by some nut in a pirate outfit! Needless to say, as soon as I realized what I'd done, I put away the 'lock and finished my transaction with my fingers, leaning out the window of my car!

[Nigel]

He hee! Great story, luv!

I would love t'seen the looks on their faces.

'Ere luv, I had a mem'rable 'sperience in Key West to share wit' yas:

At the "One-Eyed-Pirate Tea Dance", I was talkin' with a gal named Harriett, who was from my home state o' Colorady. Turns out she was a journalist, in town to do a story, when she heard 'bout the PiP festival. She wanted to interview me fer a story on "bein' a pirate" (me specialty!)

We decided to go fer a walk down Duval St. She asked a lot o' good questions, and told me I was "giving good interview".

She was inquirin' about what it's like bein' a pirate. I said "One thing that we do is to take an ordinary experience, and make it extraordinary, memorable. We take people out of their normal ev'ryday lives, into a world of pirate adventure and romance, and give them a moment they will remember for a long time.

The great thing is that, because of the costume, I can walk up to anybody, and I mean ANYBODY, start a conversation, and 9 out of 10 people will respond enthusiastically. Then I realized, it's not really the costume, it's the mindset. Eventually, people start coming up to me and initiating conversations. I love that I can instantly connect with people. "

Just then, two women approached and asked if they could take my photograph. I said only if I take one with them in it. We were shooting photos, talking and laughing; they got Harriett into the fray, taking pics as well as being in photos. They thanked us and walked off smiling.

Just then, a van pulled up, and two guys jumped out and said "Where is the Disney DVD release party?" I said "tomorrow at Mallory Square at 10 pm!" Then the guy said "Can I get a picture of you with my girlfriend?" and pretty soon, everybody in the van was out, taking pictures, laughing and talking.

The driver got out and insisted on getting a pic with me. Then, he asked if I would take a pic with his dog, the sweetest old bulldog ya ever seen (wish I could 'member the dog's name, she was cute.) Then he said "wait right here" - he ran back to the van, and grabbed a book. He handed me the book. "I am an author, and I just got this book published. I want you to have a copy!" I said "I'll bet that there is something in this book that I was meant to read." He was ecstatic "that is what I feel too! Everything happens for a reason!"

We laughed and talked and took more photos. Then the whole group jumped back in the van and drove off, waving and shouting "See you tomorrow!"

I looked over, and Harriett was standing there stunned, holding the microphone out, with the tape recorder still running.

I spun right around, looked her stragiht in the eye, and said into the microphone "See what I mean?"

It was brilliant, unforgettable; I couldn't have scripted a better moment.

Arrgh! 'Ere's to bein' a pirate!!!!

[Rumba Rue]

Well several years ago, the Port Royal Privateers were doing a ship battle in Long Beach for the promotion of the Horatio Hornblower show that was soon to debut on A & E.

Afterwards, we trooped over to a local restraunt to eat. No one was expectin' us that's for sure.

Besides taking up almost six tables set up in a row, when it came time to eat, a few pulled out their pointy-sticky weapons to do so. Nothing like seeing Louie Lambie pull out his big sword to stab a roll he couldn't reach. You should have seen the looks on the normal people watching us, totally priceless!

After one of the Sea Shantey Festivals in San Diego, we trooped over to Seaport Village to eat at the Jolly Roger Restaraunt (too bad it's not there anymore). Some poor ol' lady with her older lady friends was celebrating her birthday. Ah, nothing like a bunch o' pirates getting up and surrounding her and singing at the top of our lungs the Mongolian Birthday Song. Poor lady almost had a heart attack she was laughing so hard!

All I can say is when the Port Royal Privateers are out to eat (and in costume of course) watch out, cuz we're the biggest RABBBLE ROUSERS THERE ARE!

Rumba Rue

**By the swish o' me sword and swoosh o' me cape,

May yer ships be laden with fanciful treasure,

Which may be a pirates wonderous fate,

Oh but by the dawn and the sea's green measure,

Tis the love of the ship and a timely date.

For us to gather together, we truly are the best darn crew mates!**

(an orginal poem by yours truly)

[Merrydeath]

A few of us were at an Outback restaurant in Nebraska. It was Darkrose, Taya and a loverly wench named Charly there. Lass Charly knew of the manager there, and told us to have fun with him. First time he goes past, I ask him if he has every tasted chocolate on a woman's fingers before..(worried look)

We eat the 'shrooms with our fingers and start to fling them into bodices left and right, then eat the meal with our daggers.

Next time thru I ask the manager if he allows counter dancing for money (big worried look).

BTW, the server we had was great, got all our jokes, and offered to be our cabin boy if he got to go to the Faire. The tables next to us are looking and whispering, wondering just where we came from. Someone at the faire wondered if we were from Holland, since we wore bodices... LOL. No great singing, no interviews, but that manager will NOT forget us soon.

[Blind Rhoid Pyle]

Years ago a foolish friend of mine left a Halloween party in a drunken state, and drove off. We tried to stop him, but he was an ex-Navy man and wrestled the best of us to the ground. He eventually got into his car, dressed in full pirate regalia, and drove off.

He soon realized we had been right, and he was in no condition to be driving. He pulled into a parking lot to "sleep it off."

In the morning there is a knock at his car window. A businessman is banging on the glass saying: "Excuse me, Blackbeard, I have to get to work and you're blockling my driveway."

The silly bugger pulled right into someone's driveway off a fairly busy road, and passed out!

[Cracked Carrie]

He hee! Great story, luv!

I would love t'seen the looks on their faces.

'Ere luv, I had a mem'rable 'sperience in Key West to share wit' yas:

Both of these stories are awesome!! I don't have a good piratical-garb story, as I'm new to it, but had some fun other experiences out in costume in public.

The fact all of this happened with the camera rolling is just perfect!

[Nigel]

Indeed. I was quite amused, and pleased that the events unfoled to demonstrate exactly what I was trying to explain,

Ah...one of many "golden moments" from the PiP festivel.

[Lucky Penny Hawkings]

I think the only thing I have was the gig I went to in Vallejo right before I started doin' Seven Seas stuff...afterwards, my friends and I hit the Castro, and while I was walkin' down th' street..someone yells somethin' about "Johnny Depp!"

*blinkblink!*

I didn't think to tell 'm "Sorry, mate, m'not that bloody tanned!"

[Charlotte Doyle]

I, too, be too new at this t' really have a pirate-in-public story to share (Nigel, I loved yer post -- that is just so bloody NEAT! *grins*) . . . but I did have a fun time o' it at uni when I came onto the college campus on Halloween in my pirate garb. I wasn't the only one dressed up that day, but I was one of the few, so I got a few heads turning towards me -- which was fun.

Best moment of th' day was at lunch, when I walked into the college cafe and was confronted by an older gent, I think a college alumnus, who was on campus for the day.

He looks at me for a moment, in my Johnny-Depp-inspired costume, then says, "You're a hippie, right?"

Suddenly my history professor, sitting at one of the cafe tables, turns around and half-yells, "No, she's a PIRATE!"

Most heads in the cafe swivel to look at me, while I beam at my history prof. Obviously, she'd seen PotC.

[captweaver65]

me and my partner were dressed discretely as pirates and stopped off at a store while taking a break from an event.

we were wandering through the store and noticed a hispanic woman was trying her best not to stare at us.

I decide to try for a little bit of good public relations,so I went over to her to say hello.

well...she nust have thought I was an evil demon from hell,cause she took one look at me walking over to her and crossed herself violently and said something like "madres mios" and high tailed it outa there muttering more under her breath.

it was sad but very funny

[Billie Bonnie]

I was riding my bike around town on Halloween, mostly running errands, I decided to dress up in my costume a little early. I got allot of confused stares, a few whistles, and at least two "hey, its captain Jack Sparrow !" I guess you just can't wear a brown tricorn with long brown hair these days

Later on that night I did a Haunted Ship at Penn's Landing (in Philly), it was the last performance, so of course we all dipped into the finest spirits available (Yuengling and cheap rum). I, foolishly decided to ride my bike back to West Philadelphia to my friend's Halloween party ...more funny looks and drunken yells on the ride back. I rode up to the house, and I totally forgot that I had been drinkin' earlier and proceeded to fall off my bike and flat onto the pavement in front of the house where no more than 100 people were staring...and now laughing on the front porch. More screams of Captain Jack Sparrow, and I played it off...like...yea I meant to do that..all in character...the show must go on !

[Nigel]

Ah, BB, that be the great part of bein' a pirate -

You can pull off just about any stunt, and relate it to a scene from a pirate movie.

"It ain't about not fallin'. It's about landin' on yer feet. If'n ya don't land on yer feet, keep rollin' till ya come up on them."

And Capt Weaver, I love your story. Your poor Spanish lady musta had some distant relatives who'd been assaulted on the high seas off the Spanish main or something, eh?

Most of the time, I counteract the stares and comments by approaching the person(s) directly and engaging them in conversation. It catches them off guard. 9 out of 10 times, it turns out they are quite friendly, and we part 'best buddies'. They love to feel like they're 'part of the adventure'.

Everybody loves pirates, and most people would secretly love to be a pirate. This knowledge is quite useful when you 'ave yer buckle all swashed and yer finest piratical garb on.

Charlotte, I think being called a hippie is hilarious. Kudos to your professor for recognizing the diff'rence.

LuckyP, I think your experience is common to many of mine, that people call me Johnny Depp rather than Capt Jack Sparrow. In fact, many people who called me JD gave me blank stares when I mentioned Capt Jack Sparrow. Go figure.

[Billie Bonnie]

9 out of 10 times, it turns out they are quite friendly, and we part 'best buddies'. They love to feel like they're 'part of the adventure'.

LuckyP, I think your experience is common to many of mine, that people call me Johnny Depp rather than Capt Jack Sparrow. In fact, many people who called me JD gave me blank stares when I mentioned Capt Jack Sparrow. Go figure.

I actually had a few people call out Johnny Depp as well as Jack Sparrow, it is funny :) how that happens.

Nigel, your story is great...I found that both from doing the Haunted Ship dressed as a pirate and also from doing Civil War reenacting....you just need to be open and outgoing and most people will be happy that your engaging them and making them feel a part of something fun and slightly weird that doesn't happen everyday.

Another funny story from the Haunted Ship, me and some of me fellow crew members went out into the historic district of Philadelphia to do some Pirate politickin' ... rounding up willing victims for the haunted ship...handing out flyers and talkin' up the event. We came across a couple of Revolutionary War Reenactors leading a tour....we were walkin' straight towards em' and we knew we had to do somethin'. Our fine Captain approached em' and began to go into full pirate mode.. "So, where are you two fine lads off to tonight, eh,?"

They jumped right into it...and we spent about 10 minutes improvising right there in the middle of the street with these two tour guides. It was great, some of the people in the tour got into it when two of the female members of our crew started flirting with two of the more attractive tourists.

And a good time was had by all....plus several of the tourists showed up at the Haunted Ship later on that evening...just couldn't get enough of us

[Katie Nameless]

Oh. My. Good graves. Don't get me started. Funny thing about me going dressin' as a pirate. Only really done it once besides Hallowe'en. Ah, the Ren Faire....allow me an explaination.

It was a cold September afternoon. I was at the Ohio Renaissance Festival with me good friend, Erin. We were an odd coupling, we were. Me as a pirate, she as a princess. It'd been raining most 'o the day an' we'd been seekin' refuge in one of the many shops that lined the streets. But as we'd been runnin to find room in all these stores crammed full o' people, we heard someone callin' from across the road.

"Excuse me," He called, standing in the cold rain. He was clearly mad. "but I've seen you pass by my shop three times today and not yet have I seen a blush on either of your faces." He grinned. I grinned back. My companion looked rather unamused.

Then, came the most strange and exciting event of my young life. He bent down on one knee, kissed my hand, then, tucking my hair behind my ear, purred softly. I was melted instantly.

This is the formula on either how to make a pirate lady blush or how to make a pirate lady smack you. Hard.

Needless to say I was his shadow for the next, oh, 3 hours. I haven't really spoken to him since. I'm far too frightened. But that was by far THE most interesting experience EVER to happen to me while in ANY costume in the history of the WORLD.

[Captain Tito]

Aye me good mateys all those stories ROCK!!

As I've not been able to assemble much garb too smartly, I did have enough to go on by this past Halloween ( I got more now but its not very Piratey outside with 20 below temps).

So after I gets me cabin boy and little mermaid off'n ta bed from scroungin up a mess a treats from the neighbors, I just go out and sit very still on the front stoop. I just break off into this trance like stare.

These two older kids come to the door. My wife takes care of givin em some sugary libations. I'm just FREAKIN EM OUT!! They weren't sure if I was human or a spookey manequin. I had them so riled, with my costume parrot on (one of those you fasten onto your shoulder) and everything. It was a riot to watch them watch me and shake in their shoes.

[Ida Dunnitt]

Can't say that I had too many weird things happen dressed as a pirate, but for a Halloween party this year, I elected to go and dress weirdly. I decided to change alter egos for the night and for one night only became "One Eyed Ezekial, the Amish Pirate".

Truth was, my hat fell apart and the only alternative in an 11th hour fix was an Amish-style straw hat. Good thing the shindig was in Pennsylvania.

[Ida Dunnitt]

Can't say that I had too many weird things happen dressed as a pirate, but for a Halloween party this year, I elected to go and dress weirdly. I decided to change alter egos for the night and for one night only became "One Eyed Ezekial, the Amish Pirate".

Truth was, my hat fell apart and the only alternative in an 11th hour fix was an Amish-style straw hat. Good thing the shindig was in Pennsylvania.

[Rumba Rue]

ROTHFLMAF!

Yup, Ida dunnit .....

Rumba Rue

[Nigel]

That's a good one, lass! Even better than the time I went to a Halloween party in a white robe, with a crown made from the edge of a pizza crust -

as "Chesus Chrust".