Fist night, first burn

FireTommy · Post by **FireTommy** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 11:42 am

I guess I need to start by telling you I was lost, disoriented, a little drunk and needing to pee. Which I did, on the playa...so yeah, I was that guy and I am sorry about it. I sure didn't do it again, nor was it "necessary" once I got my bearings. I was attacked from behind and knocked to the ground by a group of younger guys, (I'm 52, and my artificial hip is only 6 months old :D ) I didn't realize at first what the situation was, in my experience I only find trouble when actively looking for it. When I got up I was surrounded by at least 3 men removing necklaces and things, preparing to participate in a fight. A bystander warned me that guys were making these preparations behind me, out of my sight. I asked if it was customary to start fights by hitting people from behind without warning, and learned that peeing on the playa was not ok. I was invited to take "the next shot", and declined, feeling like a coward for doing so.
I was told to "have a good burn" as I left, and aside from this, I did. One of the rangers told me I had wandered into a bad neighborhood.
How does a temporary intentional community develop a "bad neighborhood"? Why not include information on such a hazard in the welcome packet? I spent the rest of the week really trying hard to not break any rules and maintain a higher level of awareness of the situations around me. Toward the end of the week, while listening to music at the central camp dome, one of the coffee people began to loudly threaten the crowd, offering to fight anybody who left moop in a profane tirade that sent me back into the playa. This guy was handling money, so forgive my assumption that he was somebody official.
I love the playa more than I can describe, I'm close enough to consider myself a local, and encountering the art in all it's forms on it was a truly great experience. I made lots of new friends and met all kinds of really sweet people and I never peed on the desert again. And my throat is bruised and my knee is still swollen and what I take away from my first Burning Man is the shame of not fighting back regardless of the odds against me.
Thanks for reading this, it helped me to write.
Tom

RedHeaven · Post by **RedHeaven** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 12:19 pm

Thats a really strange alienating feeling.

Curious as to what "neighborhood" that was that was considered "bad" (heh heh, can I guess? Dont get mad people, just my judgement, was it around the 9:00 promenade or by large sound camps?)

Sometimes the Self Expression thing goes way too far, peoples spirits are opened so much and everything is pouring out, that it gets out of hand sometimes. Thats why women er, people, have to be extra cautious about sexual behavior gone wrong, couples fight, people freak out, etc etc....its just such an open sky!! I have seen people seriously spitting from protesting coffee sales at center camp and giving away free chai on demand as if there was a fucking war going on in Reno or some kind of holocaust. Its the expression of it all. Im sure those chai people had more coming out of their thoughts than being pissed about center camp's coffee sales....it was a culmination for EVERYTHING That person believed in, using center camps coffee sales to take it out on.

You did the right thing......leave. I wouldnt of fought, either. The BRC Rangers have been helpful. Just like other things in BRC, for me personally, if I just cant take it, go somewhere else. BUt I cant believe these people were violent on you. That is a horrible action that should be NOTED as some stupid jacked up twak jobs policiing the playa in that fashion should be kicked out of the city, IMO, or put in THunderdome or SOMETHING.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 12:48 pm

That's the "Leave No Trace" crowd. Terribly violent towards anyone who lets their MOOP touch the face of the sacred playa.

RedHeaven · Post by **RedHeaven** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 2:36 pm

Can we get a Light Yourself Up DarkTard crowd, too?

Artemis · Post by **Artemis** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 2:44 pm

FireTommy -

That was a sucky experience. While it was a bad thing to pee on the playa, it sure didn't make sense to have 3 guys attack you from behind and knock you over. You weren't a coward at all for walking away. In fact, I take it as a sign of true dignity when someone can acknowledge and error and move on (even if the punishment didn't fit the error).

Glad to hear that the rest of the week went well and that you're now well aware of the value of reading the survival guide again and again to be aware of the rules.

Please, please, don't feel shame about this any longer. I admire the way you learned from it and didn't let it escalate by throwing a punch in return.

Hope to see you back next year, survival guide committed to memory.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 3:33 pm

I got your back FT.......

FireTommy · Post by **FireTommy** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 3:41 pm

Hahaha! Thanks! We might need to find another bullet first :D

Post by **Elderberry** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:32 pm

That story really pisses me off. Not typical playa behavior. Too bad you didn't get enough info or remember what they looked like to report them to LEO. They should have been arrested for assault.

Regardless of LNT that's bull shit. Never should have have happened. Next year I'll be sure to piss on the playa every chance I get, just to exact my revenge for you.

(Actually, I have my doubts that it was any LNT people, just thugs.)

JK

sun4all · Post by **sun4all** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:42 pm

That sucks that you got attacked. Unfortunately, there are nasty people at Burning Man. It was good that you walked away.

As far as the coffee folks go, they are known for heaping abuse on the customers, it's part of their charm and often cracks me up. Don't take them seriously, it's an act. Same goes for DPW :)

FireTommy · Post by **FireTommy** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 5:07 pm

Well thanks for the responses! The people I got to meet and play with were for sure worth getting my elderly ass kicked! I've loved the playa for a really long time, and if BM has gotten thousands of you all to love it as well, then I'm extremely happy :)

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:14 pm

When was "Fist Night"? I didn't see it in the What, Where, When.

FireTommy · Post by **FireTommy** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:17 pm

"First night"... I misspelled it, but it seemed to work either way :)

littleflower · Post by **littleflower** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:23 pm

jkisha wrote: Next year I'll be sure to piss on the playa every chance I get, just to exact my revenge for you.

* ... watching JK's avatar ... *

how can you pee while you're ... er ... busy ... er ... you know ....

ibdave · Post by **ibdave** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:55 pm

littleflower wrote:
jkisha wrote: Next year I'll be sure to piss on the playa every chance I get, just to exact my revenge for you.
* ... watching JK's avatar ... *

how can you pee while you're ... er ... busy ... er ... you know ....

JK has skills... special skills......

Elorrum · Post by **Elorrum** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 8:12 pm

The first rule of "don't pee on the playa club" is you don't talk about "don't pee on the playa club."

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 9:32 pm

This stuff had absolutely nothing to do with rules.

Always better to avoid a fight.
You never know how it'll turn out.
Back down, run away, whatever.
When all else fails, try to crush your attacker by any means.
At least that's how I was trained.

They might have been putting you on, but you get all kinds out there.
Follow your instincts.

Homiesinheaven · Post by **Homiesinheaven** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 8:29 pm

sorry to hear about your injuries. dont feel shame. the only cowards are pussies who hit you from behind or gang up on you. i peed on the playa one night near the fence but walked while i did it so it wouldn't form a horrible puddle. it evaporates by 11 AM.

i saw that asshole at center camp too but think he was doing more of a performance than really meaning it.

everyone is on a different trip at BM and unfortunately some people get off on violence and negativity. i'm glad that the good outweighed the bad for you. it usually does.