tfw you still gotta person

And the reason being is that people (of all genders equally) perceive me as a threat otherwise.

Like

Threat vs not a threat

People have said before that they are concerned I’m gonna get them in trouble, but I think the real reason folks get mean is that tourists effectively enter a liminal space when they go on vacations (especially American tourists on tropical vacations) and they don’t want anything to pull them out of that mindset.

So when I show up with a clipboard and wanting to talk while wearing an outfit that clearly says “I’m working, but not in any sort of position that exists in your vacation fantasy,” that pulls them out of the fantasy and they react negatively.

Meanwhile, if I’m dressed the same way everyone else is, even if I have a clipboard and want to talk about the same thing, I automatically become a wacky NPC who is part of the fantasy.

Yes I study raccoons. The critically endangered pygmy raccoons like to live at beach clubs. My current study is looking at interactions between tourists and/or tourism industry staff and the raccoons.

Obvious disclaimer that you shouldn't have wild animals as pets.

But like, cheetahs are the only large cats that keepers will do free contact with. Hell, even most small cats don't get free contact. (Because small cats can be VICIOUS. They'll have a baby pallas cat wearing thicker gloves than when handling an owl. Because small cats can just be vicious.)

Like I think the only other cat at our zoo where I've seen free contact with was servals? Because I know they've used servals in shows to demonstrate their natural jumping ability. But I know servals can sometimes have a mean temper as well. Meanwhile they'll do the cheetah run and afterwards put the mic by the cheetahs and it's just like an engine with them purring. It's fascinating to watch when the message in every other large animal is "no free contact because it's dangerous even when they're born in captivity".

Literally me!!! Little girl!!! That was me!!! (I’m a guy now but that was me!!!)

Okay for context, long story short,

Our family is really weird. Really weird. We’re not aliens (at least not that I know of although it’d explain some things) and yet I was a weird kid. Normal autistim child. Mom says that I called everyone ‘humans’ which is really funny — shes always told me that humans are humans, and yet you dont have to be human to be a people (example: cats, bunnies, dogs, et cetera — not human, but still people). Aka mom never corrected me because i was right. Of course she also calls humans humans because we are. I still call people humans but yes. Back to story. Went off topic there.

A long while back, like maybe five years ago, I asked mom if I’m anywhere on the Internet, because given how weird our family is, that wouldn’t be surprising.

She replied that yes, she believes so, because she found a tumblr post that happened earlier that day mentioning an alien encounter in K mart. This exact post.

When she saw it, she was really confused, because wait. My child. With my husband (who transitioned a few years back so is now my other mom!!!). Earlier today. At K mart.

She checked with mom and yes, that interaction did happen, they laughed about it and went about their day. When she told me about this a few years back, she didn’t remember what store, only that it doesn’t exist.

Finally, it recently circulated in conversation again, and since mom remembered the name I have found the post!!!