BrokenArts on 21/5/2007 at 03:46
Ever have a knife thrown at you? Or maybe 8 of them? Huh? Well? Wha?
Yeah well let me splain, decided to go to the local Rennaisance faire again yesterday. My last time to go this year. It ends next weekend. I was there a total of 8 hours yesterday, yes, I know, a long time. Thank god for the shows I was able to watch, sit down and rest my feet.
One show, in particular, was a knife throwing show. Father and son team, the father has been throwing knives for 40 years. His son, 21 years. They both started very young, by their grandfather showing them how to throw.
The show was set under some trees, there were benches for everyone to set on. The day could not of been any better weather wise, it was gorgeous outside, cool, not humid. Perfect weather to go to the faire.
They did various tricks with balloons, splitting a banana, splitting a flower, and other various things. Making cheap jokes, fun to watch.
Was that dangerous enough!? As the two of them looked over the audience. NO, yelled the audience. I saw the father glance over at me, for a split second. At first I didn't pay attention to it.
"We will now do our finale, we need a volunteer from the audience, no children please, for obvious reasons, we want a female, as they grinned at all of us. As the father scanned the room, he was looking at a woman behind me, he had his eyes glued directly on her. He walks over towards us, leaning over as if it looks like he is about to go for her.........he bends over and he grabs MY arm instead. I made the mistake of sitting in the front row. I look down at the ground, and say to myself, "Oh shit" I get up and look all happy, and nervous. :P Please welcome our lovely volunteer. He asks my name, I give him my name.
"We shall make a lovely silouhette around her using these knives, the father pulls out 8 long shiny HUGE knives, fanning and spreading them apart as he shows them to the audience. *gulp* As the father continues to talk to the audience, the son takes my hand, and walks me over to the board. He leans me up against the board, and looks me straight in the eye and says. "Take a big deep breath, stay right here, and DO NOT MOVE." OK? OK, I won't, I told him. He walks away, my heart inside my throat. All I could hear was my heart beating. I look at the audience, then I don't. I think to myself, WTF am I doing?
They are done talking, and they turn and face me. "Are you ready?" The father asks. I just grin a great big grin, and shake my head very quickly. OK, here we go. I close my eyes real tight, a hush falls over the crowd, and BAM! I froze solid. OMFG I was saying to myself. Standing agains the board, you can feel the board move with each blow of the knife. It does make you move slightly, from the vibration. The impact from behind you is surprising. You don't expect it. First impact especially, Oh shit...... After the 2nd knife hit, I decided to open my eyes and take it all in. The look on the fathers face was pure intensity. They both had this look of concentration. I knew by their look, they met business, and I would be ok. But still, to have knives thrown at you, omfg. They were close to my body. O_o When they were done, applause errupted, they both grabbed my hands, and we all bowed to the audience. I was shaking just a little bit.......:P Oh what a freakin rush. I can't say I know anyone that has had knives thrown at them. You know, at least with a ride at an amusement park, you've got something between you and the ground. Something is usually there to protect, break a fall, possibly soften the blow. Not with knives being thrown at you. It's freakin rush man.
My earlier rush of the week, working on my oldest piece yet for BA, a 2500 yr old Etruscan greek vase. Surreal, happy as a calm to work on it. It's been wild week, but a good week. Pictars will go on my site soon enough. Owner has another bigger piece that needs work. I need to get my grimmy little mits on it.
Shadow Creepr on 21/5/2007 at 07:38
Good grief, girl! I think I would have peed myself. ;) Of course, you were a star of the show too. *Applause*
37637598 on 21/5/2007 at 08:07
congrats to you! sounds like you pulled through alright! I've had a knife thrown at me too, by a marine! it was cool, he landed it like 4 inches from my right ear! scary to see a big 6" knife being thrown in the general area of your face! so in a sense, you're not alone! though i only had 1 knife...
theBlackman on 21/5/2007 at 08:25
Ah, I knowed you could do it. Anyone who can kick major butt in Thievery can handle a minor thing like that.
Good on yah, BA. :thumb: :thumb:
snowcap21 on 21/5/2007 at 10:20
*makes a mental note never to sit in the front row* Until now I always thought such "volunteers" worked for the artists.
But you've been very cool! I'm sure they watched the audience before and picked someone very carefully.
Quote:
He leans me up against the board, and looks me straight in the eye and says. "Take a big deep breath, stay right here, and DO NOT MOVE."
For some reason the first question that popped up in my mind was: "Was he attractive?"
BrokenArts on 21/5/2007 at 11:43
Haha snowcap, unfortunitely, no, he wasn't my type. He was blonde, I don't do blondes. It looks like no big deal when you are the spectator. Being up there, that is a different story. Fun as hell, intense, would I do it again? Hell why not. :devil: Nothing like being lead up on stage, and pressed up against a board, 2 hands on your shoulders, yeah.......:P
I did talk to them after the show, I asked them if they had ever heard of Harry McEvoy. I never saw anyone spin around so fast as the father did. His eyes got very large. Yeah! You knew him? "I've got some of his knives and his books!" "Very hard to find his stuff anymore."
In the circut of knife collectors and knife throwers, Harry is a legend, he made his own knives, and was a thrower himself. He is my sister-in-laws father. "Ahhh, no wonder you were watching the show", the father exclaimed. We chatted a bit about Harry, and the show. They were both very nice. My excitement for the day. :)
Shayde on 21/5/2007 at 12:07
Barts the universe is clearly trying to tell you to sleep with one of them. :)
And congrats on your bravery.
Kolya on 21/5/2007 at 12:30
Quote Posted by ilweran
When people start throwing knives at you physical ability has nothing to do with it.
QED :D
Dia on 21/5/2007 at 12:46
BArts, you are my new hero. Just the fact that you didn't wet your pants is an indication of your bravery. :cheeky: :thumb:
Our Rennaisance Faire doesn't have any knife throwing; just mud slinging (no really). And damned if I'm going to be sitting in the front row for that.
BrokenArts on 21/5/2007 at 14:04
Quote Posted by Dia
BArts, you are my new hero. Just the fact that you didn't wet your pants is an indication of your bravery. :cheeky: :thumb:
Our Rennaisance Faire doesn't have any knife throwing; just mud slinging (no really). And damned if I'm going to be sitting in the front row for that.
When stardom is thrust upon you, what are you gonna do? Believe me, there was a side of me that was running the other way.
LOL, I can't say I don't blame you for not wanting to sit up front at the mud slinging. Our Renn faire has that as well, and a LOT of shows.
Another show I saw, some jugglers, they were pretty good. Lots of moths and butterflies were flying around. Must of been their mating season. One landed on this jugglers hand, he took his hand, and he slowly put it in his mouth, and closed his mouth!! BLAH!!! You should of heard the audience.
He then motioned with his other hand for the butterfly to fly away. He opened his mouth, and the butterfly flew off!! Talk about timing. He couldn't of done that anymore perfect. Everyone laughed! You should of seen the look on his face. :)
There is jousting, a mime, turtle race, acrobats, dueling, belly dancers, more singing, harps playing, and more, lots of shows to watch. It's a really good time.
