The Majel Hat

Then the customers came.  Some came to admire the hat.  Some came to laugh at it.  But they came.  to our table.  And bought fanzines.  After a couple of sales, I wasn't teasing Julie quite so mercilessly.  After several sales, I was really wishing I could have a nifty hat like that.  A really cool hat with pesos and gold trim and Starfleet insignias made by Lwaxana Troi herself!  I had to have one!  I needed one, really bad!  I mean, it had so many uses--it kept the sun out of my eyes, covered up a bad hair day effectively, and yes, it was stylish in its own flamboyant way.  It made perfect sense.  It was an investment.  I went up to the Lincoln Enterprises table, money in hand, prepared to buy a hat just like my favorite cousin Julie's.

But it wasn't there!  Oh, my god!  It wasn't there!  The nifty hat with the pesos and Starfleet insignias!  Majel, how could you sell my hat?  Don't you know what it meant tome?  And then...I saw it from across the table.  Not Julie's hat, but another one which simply called out to me.  It was beautiful--a wide-brimmed straw hat, cleverly laced with delicate gold pesos, a multicolored Mexican band spanning its circumference, larger, more flamboyant--a hat made specifically for ME!  Not only that, it was five dollars cheaper than Julie's.  Thanks to Reina's persuasion, I waited for Majel to come back and she happily autographed it for me.

I wore that hat all weekend.  I wore it to breakfast.  I wore it to panels.  I wore it behind the Nova Press table in the dealers' room.  Hell, I even wore it in the Dallas airport.  I was so happy.  I had my Majel hat.

It was only when I got home that I realized, there is no place in the universe I can wear this except a con.  Without the excitement of con farr, I saw the hat for what it was--a rather expensive trinket with very little use at all.  Or was it?  I had so much fun with that silly hat.  I got to act goofy in public, got lots of attention, and took home a wonderful, wacky souvenier of Galaxy Faire.  For a couple of days, it was like starting all over again, being new and excited about Trek, not knowing and not caring about the intrigues and politics of fandom.  And you know what?  It was worth it!  Thank you, Majel, for that silly, overpriced, totally useless hat.  Thanks for reminding me what this is all about--having a good time, being with friends, and feeling good about fandom.  I still wear that goofy hat to cons now and then.  Hey, sometimes you just have to chill!

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