The classbunny is a Alter-Ego
I created a monster!
Whether you subscribe to Cicero's philosophical view of the alter-ego as a trusted friend or the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde line of the 'other' out of control, evil self, we do all change once we don a disguise!
I had my name down on Sunday to be the classbunny to help get the word out about my workshops in a disused shop window but realised there would be no-one to take photos so I asked my kids - and there was a resounding 'no' to donning rabbit ears, face paint and a funny outfit.
I asked a couple of friends, again they were too shy, too horrified, too embarrassed. Then I used my fallback person. My long suffering other half. He too was reluctant so I reminded him of the time I painted his naked body green and constructed a landscape on his body and filmed an Edward Lear limerick with paper cut out figures on his thigh. But that was back in the day. Life has become more dignified and sedate. We don't do that sort of thing anymore....
I taunted him with his reckless, younger self. And he taunted me back - in those days he had been keen to impress the younger me. But now there was no more need. But he reluctantly said yes, 'OK then.'
Early next morning the rain nearly saved him but suddenly at 10 am the clouds parted and the sun declared itself. No excuses.
Outside the shop, I handed out the carrots - about 10 kilos of them to Leichhardt locals and the bunny danced, ,frolicked and waved to all passersby. He was as huge hit....gradually his alter - ego took over. I couldn't calm him down. The local paper turned up and took photos. He hammed it up even more for around 5 hours. A local artist sketched him. A stranger said, 'he's beautiful, and another bystander declared 'he's ugly.' He lapped it up.'
And when we declared it a day he exclaimed he wanted to watch the sunset at Bondi beach. It was balmy and crowded when we arrived and the classbunny continued to ham it up (is that a thing? A hammy bunny?) running to water's edge, tourists snapping and instagraming him....and he declared he would be doing it again. It was fun.
So watch out for the classbunny. He bears ticket giveaways and has a trusty assistant with carrots. Stop and say 'hi.'