#furfright

If you’ve ever wondered what the furry fandom was like in the early aughts, these ripped convention dvds from Furfright will tell you maybe a little too much.

It's October, and that has us thinking about FurFright. For many furs in New England as well as beyond, Halloween and FurFright became synonymous during the con's 11-year run. FurFright took its final bow in 2013, but memories are forever (or at least until Alzheimer's starts setting in), so this seemed like an appropriate time to reminisce about our second home with a song we recorded back in 2012 to celebrate the tenth FurFright. It's a parody of Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound Of Silence", and getting to perform it in front of the crowd at the opening ceremonies was one of our favorite moments. Cramming 10 years of con history and in-jokes into three minutes wasn't easy, but it was a lot of fun.

The thumbnail uses artwork created for FurFright by Skulldog. Click beneath the credits for lyrics!

  "The Song Of FurFright" (3:09) Parody of "The Sound Of Silence", as performed by Simon & Garfunkel Original song written by Paul Simon Parody lyrics by Kiffa Kitmouse and Sedge Hare All music and vocals performed by Drama Armada

Marco (The Story Of Shadowrunner)

The following is a true story...

Back in January of 2007, I was invited by a furry friend of mine to come to his home and bring my fursuit. Of course I agreed and traveled 500+ miles to 20 degree weather. Upon my arrival, we headed back to his home where 19 other furries were brushing and checking their suits. After greeting those I knew and those I did not, I pulled my suit out and proceeded to brush and check it for damage.

When Sunday morning came, we packed up the vehicles and headed to a charity event for sexually abused children. We arrived and were shown to the locker room which had 21 stalls with our names on them. We all changed into our fursuits--animals of all kinds. Once changed we were led to a green room with food galore, and were told to sit and eat and someone would be back for us. After about a half hour, a gentleman came in and said they were ready for us.

I did not know what was going on, and no one bothered to inform me. They had held a contest for the sexually abused children called, “What would you do with a larger-than-life animal?” They chose 21 letters, and at the event the caregivers, parents, and family of the 21 children would bid for us. The first animal went for $2500.00 to a family of a young girl. Now you can not sit there and not be upset by some of the stories we were hearing. A young boy beaten black and blue by his single mother cause he left a toy out. A young girl sexually abused by a neighbor. Just to name a few.

I went out 16th, but by this time I was furious with the stories I was hearing. I was led onto the stage and the Auctioneer announced my Character's name, and mentioned I had traveled the furthest for the event. The crowd cheered at the suit and the Star Trek symbols on my uniform. The auction started at $50, and the bidding grew. As the bidding was going on, I hopped off the stage and proceeded to play with the crowd. At about $375 they led me back to the stage. The bidding reached $465, and stopped dead. As the auctioneer said “$465 going twice”, a voice from the crowd called "$550!" The auctioneer tried for more, but to no avail. “SOLD FOR $550!” A modest amount compared to the prices my friends were getting, but that was ok. What happened following this made up for it.

They led me down off the stage and sat me in a chair where the family, press, and the young boy's doctors were watching. They brought the boy out, and he was a little frightened and taken aback by a 6-foot tall wolf sitting there. They sat him on my lap, and, when I turned him around, he threw his arms around me and buried his face in my chest and cried, causing me to begin to cry with him. Now a little side note. After he was sexually abused and raped at age 10 by two high school students, he turned within himself and he did not speak. He was silent and emotionless for 7 months. At the time I saw him he was 11 yrs old. After the half hour was up and his mother dried his face and my uniform, I could feel a hand on the side of my muzzle petting it as you would pet a dog, and then a kiss to my nose.

What happened next deafened the room. He spoke for the first time in 7 months. “Mr Wolf, now that you are here I am going to be ok and everything will be alright.” I melted. His mother and the crowd gasped. His father dropped to his knees and said it was a miracle. I cried again and wrapped my arms around him and pulled him close.

Later as I was signing autographs I heard, “Mr Wolf! Mr Wolf!” I jumped off the platform and dropped to my knees to catch young Marco as he ran into my arms. With a hug he handed me a small stuffed husky he had won for me. I motioned to him to give my buddy next to me a hug. As he did, a hand reached down and lifted me from the floor.

His Mother said, “Shadowrunner, I will be forever grateful for what you have done. There was something special about you, I just knew it.” She hugged me and then stepped aside to compose herself.

The boy's Father said, ”Shadowrunner, I must repeat some of what my wife said, but first I must admit something. I was annoyed that she went over our limit we had set. I was wrong. You have done something that myself, the doctors, and no one could do. And that's to get my son speak again. You are an angel sent by god, in the form of a wolf. Thank you." Then he hugged me. After he released the hug, I dropped to my knees again and cried at the compliment. Little did I realize this was the last time I would see the little boy.