Boothie
Here is your vocabulary word for the day: Boothie
A boothie is a person that works in or for a booth at a fair. This fair can be of any type, Renaissance, steampunk, etc but the end result is the same, boothies work in booths. Get it!
Now these boothies can be of two different types: there are boothies that work in the booth and Boothies that work for the booth. There is a bit of a difference here.
boothie – These boothies work in the booth and they are those that assist the merchant and are regular folks in real life. They are also regulars to that fair. As regulars to the fair, they have attended the fair enough that they know the merchants but the fair is not their lively-hood. In other words they have become involved enough to step behind-the-scenes but they are not part of the scenery. They may be hawking for the sword smith on the weekend but they are still an accountant Monday through Friday.
Boothie – these are the folks that travel with the booth and or merchandise from place to place. They are a step above the boothie that works in the booth but they are not the owner of the booth itself. They know the merchandise and their accents will be better but they are a little different than the average fair goer that has developed a relationship with a merchant. They are a step above the worker that works a couple of weekends during the fair and give the merchant privy breaks. Boothies however might run the booth by themselves at a fair and just report into the owner at the end of the day or the end of the run of the fair. If you are in the leather shop they might be running the shop, but they are not making the leather goods that are in the shop.
Whether boothie or Boothie, both play a vital role in the Renaissance Fair paradigm. No single person can run a booth effectively by themselves. The merchant is going to have to have some help working with the guests and at least having someone to break them during the day. The boothie / Boothie, provides the merchant with some added help. The other side of the coin is that boothie / Boothies get paid. Sometimes the pay is as mundane as a check or cash. Sometimes you work for swag. This might be a predetermined piece or it might be whatever the merchant usually gives out for payment at the end of your shift or at the end of the fair. Develop those relationships people and if you get something good and piratey for being a boothie or a Boothie, send it to uncle Bobaganush!
- Bobaganush the Pirate
Bookmarked, I enjoy your blog!