Clyde Moore: Fluffy perceptions

You can put on a costume, cover yourself in makeup as to be unrecognizable, but you will not change who you are. You can, however, dramatically change how you are perceived.

I discovered this simple truth last year as I began morphing into what I’ve started referring to as Winter Park’s answer to Big Bird. Parker the I LUV Winter Park Owl is now a bit of an alter ego, yet a being I refer to as if entirely different than myself.

I love living in an area with large birds of prey I see so often. Almost every year since living in our current house, we’ve had baby barred owls raised around us. Last year the sightings were constant and a chance dip in the pool revealed we had twins, as I caught them perched on the power lines behind. I got an awesome photo of them, posted it to Facebook and was immediately asked their names. Winnie and Parker seemed an obvious choice. I was soon online in search of an owl costume. Parker was soon walking about the yard in trial runs, scaring our dogs.

My stints as Parker have taught me new things about people, big and little, and maybe even a few new things about myself. I’m not sure children had ever impacted me so, touched me so emotionally. Turn into a big owl and suddenly you have little ones telling you they love you, giving you spontaneous hugs, surprising you in such sweet and unexpected ways. The way they look at Parker, the excitement in their faces – well, the ones who don’t scream – is special, amazing.

I discovered this special brand of magic last year. I think one of my Facebook friends, William Gallagher, found the same thing this past weekend. Recalling a Halloween event he attended, he wrote: “Just had the sweetest thing happen to me. As I was walking around, dressed as Superman, I had a little boy get out of his wheelchair to give me a big hug. God I love Halloween!!”

I’ve been Parker twice so far this fall. This past weekend, hanging out at Downeast during trick-or-treating on Park Avenue, there were two kids who seemingly – very few things are crystal clear peering from inside that enormous head – needed to be pried away. That makes a big owl feel pretty good.

I wear an ILUVWinterPark.com T-shirt over the costume, and as I’m interacting with their children, I often have parents saying “I love Winter Park, too,” and am often referred to as “the Winter Park owl.” I guess that makes me feel an even greater desire to entertain, to be the owl those little ones and their parents would want me to be. By golly, the owl I can be!

I’ve gained a new and deep respect for those who work at theme parks in such costumes, especially in Central Florida’s summer heat. It’s not always easy. And there are little things that you wouldn’t otherwise anticipate until that large head is on and there are no hands available, just the fluffy tip of a wing. Last year at an early stint at Peterbrooke Chocolatier of Winter Park, a kids’ birthday party was going on in back. When the kids emerged it was time for photos with the big owl. I remember having kids all around me, leaning on me, grabbing me … and I was going nuts inside as a small piece of fuzz from my costume had come to rest on my nose. The kids were screaming, cheering and inside I was ready to scream as well. I endured; it all ended without incident, or me flinging the large head aside and trying somehow to scratch my nose, scarring those little partiers for life.

When you become a big fluffy owl, you start to put people, large and small, and even animals, into certain baskets based on their reaction to you. Children largely fall into two groups: 1) the ones who immediately adore you and light up like a Christmas tree, 2) the ones who think you’re scarier than the monster lurking under the bed. Some will start out reluctant then change dramatically. Adults are more complex, with years of experience to guide them, they can be: 1) those who are really just a bigger version of the kid they used to be, lighting up, interacting, wanting a hug or to pose for a picture, 2) those who wish to pretend you are not there, 3) those who obviously had an unpleasant experience with a large owl or other costumed being and are good at being unfriendly (and oblivious to how I may be responding from within my fluffy suit). Big dogs are simple creatures and either hate you, want to chew on you or are scared to death. Smaller dogs are simpler still and want to get away ASAP. Having seen what owls eat, I understand that reaction best of all, I think.

Yes, you can learn a lot about people in an owl suit. It may not be exactly a window into one’s soul, but it’s turned out to be a wonderful vantage point to watch the local world go by, and interact with it.

Local Luv'n Local

If you’ve visited Prato on Park Avenue, you’ve likely stood at the front desk before being seated and noticed the gorgeous orchids there. Those are from Ginny’s Orchids, located just around the corner on Morse Boulevard. Ginny’s Orchids were also included on food tables in the tent for last week’s Park Avenue Fashion Show. Visit ginnysorchids.com. Local Luv’n Local is all about local businesses that support other local businesses. E-mail me at [email protected] if you’ve got an idea for a future photo.

Clyde Moore operates local sites ILUVWinterPark.com, ILUVParkAve.com and LUVMyRate.com, and aims to help local businesses promote themselves for free and help save them money, having some fun along the way. Email him at [email protected] or write to ILuv Winter Park on Facebook or Twitter.