A volunteer at Sutter's Fort in California recently had a visitor ask her while she was in period, "What did you do yesterday?" Isn't that an interesting question? This of course would depend on impression, event, etc. Do any of you take this into account when getting your impression ready for an event?

That's a pretty neat question.

That is an interesting question.  I don't think I have ever thought about that during an event.  

I think if I was asked that I would probably be caught off guard.

The woman that was asked this thought the visitor was trying to get her off track. But turns out the visitor was serious and really wanted to know what her impression did yesterday. I had never anticipated this question either but I think I'll start being prepared

I don't think I've ever been asked that by a visitor, but I certainly notice whether or not it's taken into consideration at events.

At the majority of events, it seems that reenactors start out excited to be there, looking forward to the event, glad to see friends they haven't seen in a while. When in fact, the historical situation might be entirely different, but who cares about history?

At some events, things do start out as they would have, with people beginning their period lives where they left off, still reacting to what happened this morning or yesterday. At others, not so much.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

Wow, great question from a visitor. Never been asked one like that myself but I only hope I would have the ability to quickly discuss something period in response. It would likely depend on my impression. For example if I was a shopkeeper I would likely respond that I had received a new shipment of (fill in the blank) so I had to get them entered into my ledger and get them ready for sale or some sort. As a soldier, I would hopefully talk about the march the day before, or possibly the fatigue duty I had to pull, or something along those lines. It's funny when I am in first person and people ask me questions and when I answer them in firper they look at me funny and say "you live like this all the time?" It's hard to tell when a visitor is asking you the historic person or you the modern person portraying the historic.  

--Last edited by toptimlrd on 2009-09-24 23:48:18 --

Annette,

Thanks so mush for sharing that info/question. It has now sharpened my first person. It is something to think about.

Eric G.

That is a great thing to have thought out in advance. If you've at least considered it in advance you will be better prepared. The deer-in-the-headlights look is never an impressive one.

I've got something figured out to explain my limp, now I'll have to work up a recent history tale. We've had conversations about what our impressions did "before the war" but this will just add one more layer of realism.

For one of us lowly privates, and having read Hard Marching Everyday, a pretty acuate answer could be "Marched."  Of course you'd have to have a plan as to from where, etc.  

--Last edited by hamiltonjoe1950 on 2009-11-20 20:47:56 --

At Bummers, Chuck and I had an example of this in real life, and it was surprising how much stuff goes on "yesterday."

We started our event Thursday morning as escaped prisoners of war trying to reach Union lines, and rendezvoused with our third prisoner on Friday morning, since he couldn't get off work to start until then.

So when we met him, we really had reenacted "yesterday," while he hadn't. We hadn't done much but walk on deserted roads and stop at a house to beg for breakfast, but it seemed like we had lots of commentary, anecdotes, information, news, etc., even if it was just inconsequential little remarks. It's surprising how much of the daily texture of life one forgets about when one has to imagine things rather than life them. Needless to say, though, our day *before* yesterday was much more vague in comparison.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com