Town Criers

A few years ago, I was quite surprised (although, given the things some of my friends and I are interested in, perhaps I shouldn't have been) to find that being a town crier is a major pastime for some people. Like any passion, it has its dabblers, its mockers, and its fanatic adherents. No doubt it also has its factions, hurt feelings, martyrs, and posturing -- again, like any passion.

But there are also clearly people who have have finally found, in the town-crier community, someplace to belong. Their quirks and nerdiness are actually assets, valued and admired by other town criers. There is also the sense of connection with the past, which is an amazingly powerful motivator. And, of course, there are always those looking for a novel way to say "Look at me!"

You can check out this link for a glimpse into the world of the town crier. (I sense a story coming on -- I need to finish one or two of the major projects I've got, so that I can have the luxury of writing stories when they start pressing their noses against the glass.)