Those Freaks!

Ever think that things just couldn’t get any weirder? Yeah? Well, you obviously don’t work with volunteers.  Any volunteer manager or coordinator knows that volunteers are – I’m just going to say it – whack jobs.  Seriously.  And just when you think you’ve met the weirdest one, here comes another.

So, what makes us volunteers so dang crazy? My theory is that we all like to pretend that we enjoy service because we are saving the world, while we’re really playing a grand game of “what’s my job?”.  My favorite volunteer experiences? The ones where I took on a role I’d never have the opportunity to do in normal life.  That’s probably why I loved the MPBN gig so much – suddenly I’m a superstar, answering phones and gaining fame and fortune across the airwaves.  Same thing happened when I volunteered at the NYC AIDS walk – who knew that I was a super-badass security guard?  Oh, and that mentoring thing? Yeah, that’s me practicing to be a good mom (shh).

Now, what does this have to do with anything? Well, I guess I’m starting to get a reputation for being one of those whackjob volunteers…like writing a blog about my obsession with service hadn’t tipped everyone off already.  So, tonight I checked my email for the umpteenth time and what appeared before my eyes? Let me show you:

“The Lisbon Conservation Corps is looking for a volunteer to wear a fish costume at our youth fishing day. If you know someone who might be interested, however I am asking you because you are not only all wonderful people, but wonderful people in small packages – that wouldn’t burst the costume like an individual like myself would.”

Ok, so he wasn’t asking only me, but still.  Do I want to wear a fish costume?? I think that goes a bit beyond this whole pretending to be someone else thing.  Would I need to do a special fish song and dance? And am I supposed to be happy or sad when all these little kids are poking my friends with sharp objects disguised as food? I don’t even know where Lisbon, Maine is.  But yet, sort of secretly, I think it sounds like the most fun EVER!

If you or someone else you know is petite, wants to be a fish for a day, and could actually get to Lisbon, Maine on May 2nd, let me know! I’ll pass your info on to Luke without even mentioning how much of a freak you are.