"Thank You, Stranger!" Thread

[snowcalico 0]

While there are posts (very rightfully) thanking the staff for all their hard work this year, I thought it'd be a great idea to have a post to thank the fellow congoers and citizens/tourists of Baltimore who performed random acts of kindness for us over the weekend.

On Saturday night, I was having kind of a rough evening. I left the convention center a bit upset. As I was crossing the street (as always, making sure to wait for the 'Walk' symbol to come up and that traffic was clear) a minivan decided to make the turn right into my path. The occupant screamed at me, making me feel stupid, and it was just the last straw of the night. I burst into tears and started sobbing once I reached the other side of the street safely. It was embarrassing, but I couldn't hold back. In front of me on the side of the street I ended up on were two Gravitation cosplayers. While it's understandable to choose to ignore someone in that situation, they instead turned to me to make sure I was OK. They asked if they could help, and offered me a hug. I let them know I'd be alright, but thanked them as I moved on to my hotel to get some much needed rest. But that simple single act of concern lessened my isolated feeling of the moment and helped me feel better much sooner than I'm sure I would have otherwise.

I think it's easy to be cynical about humanity sometimes. I know I'm guilty of it. So that's why it's nice to be reminded that there is a lot of good in people. I'd really love to hear similar stories if you guys would share them with me.

[Amacfa 0]

This was my first con and I hope all cons are like this one. While I don't have anyone to thank specifically, I wanted to thank everyone for being nice. I know that where ever you go, there is bound to be one or two jerks who decide to open their mouth. However, everyone here was polite, funny, and sociable.

About your story, I'm glad those people helped you out, I've been in that position too where that one big thing will bring you down, then a bunch of little things to top it which eventually make you break. I might not have done what they did at the time, but after you shared your story, I will be much more understanding and offer to help.

[Sacred_Moon 0]

hmm...all i can say is XD thank you random cosplayer to cheering me up after my bad photoshoot moment XD. << you would never expect that the kindness of strangers help when you least expect it, huh?

[Adv1sor 0]

At most cons there are always a few bad seeds. At a con of this size you would expect there to be, at least a few more than average.

If they were there I sure didn't see them.

..., everyone here was polite, funny, and sociable.

[JeuneFille 0]

While there are posts (very rightfully) thanking the staff for all their hard work this year, I thought it'd be a great idea to have a post to thank the fellow congoers and citizens/tourists of Baltimore who performed random acts of kindness for us over the weekend.

I completely agree the staff were amazing this year! I'm also very happy to say "thank you" to fellow con-goers who were very kind to return lost items, to cheer someone up or help out a stranger in need! I helped take someone's luggage to Artist's Alley

Here's my story...and I wish I could find this person! On Saturday afternoon I decided to sit down outside Artist's Alley to take a rest, drink some water, and adjust and brush out my wig. My camera must have slipped out of my pocket, purse or lap when I was getting up to catch up to my friends. As I stopped a cosplayer to take a photo of them, I realized that my HP camera was no where to be found. I pretty much freaked out, ran down to AA and asked a few fellow con-goers if they'd seen anyone take it. Still shaking I ran up to the lost and found and asked Otakon staff if anything was found. Luckily, some kind soul had seen my camera laying there and returned it to lost and found, allowing me to get it back. So if you found an HP 8.0 megapixel camera that was black and silver...you saved my life and about $300! Thank you so much, whoever and where ever you are! <3

[Samiki 0]

^^ While I was waiting for my friend in the rave a guy sat down beside me and talked to me for awhile! ^^ It was nice to have someone to talk to while we waited. He was going to cosplay as Mario on Saturday but I didn't see him! Oh well, always easy to make new friends at Otakon!

[Cousinsue 0]

Walking the hallways, as we staff do, we get to see the randoms acts of kindness our members show to others.

This weekend a cosplayer dropped his glasses in a busy hallway, and another quickly rescued them and ran after him down the hall to return them.

[IDTDNDND45 0]

There are two people who I would want to thank that helped me out in the dealers room. One was 2 guys who instead of just telling me where they bought something, they walked back there and had me follow just so I could get there correctly. Second was on Sunday when my cellphone died and I had no way of getting hold of my friends, someone let me use their cellphone to call them up. Majority of the people at the con were very nice and very cool.

[Kazumi 0]

Well, this might not have been extremely heroic or anything, but I really appreciated it when someone asked for a picture of me and my group and a con-goer would tell people to watch out and that there were pictures being taken.

And, I'd like to thank the people who actually did ask for pictures instead of candidly snapping a few shots of me and my group.

[Duelistbluerose 0]

I completely agree the staff were amazing this year! I'm also very happy to say "thank you" to fellow con-goers who were very kind to return lost items, to cheer someone up or help out a stranger in need! I helped take someone's luggage to Artist's Alley

Here's my story...and I wish I could find this person! On Saturday afternoon I decided to sit down outside Artist's Alley to take a rest, drink some water, and adjust and brush out my wig. My camera must have slipped out of my pocket, purse or lap when I was getting up to catch up to my friends. As I stopped a cosplayer to take a photo of them, I realized that my HP camera was no where to be found. I pretty much freaked out, ran down to AA and asked a few fellow con-goers if they'd seen anyone take it. Still shaking I ran up to the lost and found and asked Otakon staff if anything was found. Luckily, some kind soul had seen my camera laying there and returned it to lost and found, allowing me to get it back. So if you found an HP 8.0 megapixel camera that was black and silver...you saved my life and about $300! Thank you so much, whoever and where ever you are! <3

Edited August 11, 2008 by Duelistbluerose

[kakihara 0]

People always had my back, like when a $20 bill fell out of my pocket or I dropped my cell phone or bag. Very nice.

[Dragon Girl 0]

I wasn't at Otakon this year, but it was my little brother's first con. I'd like to thank whoever picked up his cellphone outside the BCC on Thursday night and gave a call to my house to let us know that they were turning it into the Lost and Found. He got his cellphone back on Friday morning and had a blast at the con. Thank you so much, as I know he would have been a mess if he had lost his phone for good!

[behindirisheyes 0]

i love reading threads liek this it gives me renewed faith in humanity there was a girl who was dressed as aeris and had the pole and everything well when me and a friend were sitting on the balcony she left it sitting on the table so when she didnt hear us yelling to her i grab it and chased her down to give ti back to her

[yamiko 0]

these people will NEVER read this but I'll throw out a cosmic thank you to the bcc employees and security. Ya know congoer's normally knock on the con center employee's but for me and my sister we have found that 90% of them are super nice and helpful as long as you act mature and almost always let us into the elevators and service areas when we're dragging luggage and thanks to the lady with the garbage can who half walked us from hall C to hall E when we couldn't find the artist alley! (meanwhile in those situation the staffers we're always trying to stop us and cause trouble)

and thanks to all those awesome people who came to my table and we're sweet

lastly thank you to the not 1 but 3 very honest people who bought things from me and we're honest enough to tell me I gave them the wrong change for example the total was 4.00 she gave me 20 I gave back 18 xD they didn't take advantage of my sleep deprivation and was honest. *good karma vibes to them*

[Mishikotoko 0]

Ok, so long story short:

Saturday I was walking in my platform boots, and custom outfit. I had stopped to explain to some people what was going on. (They asked me why people were dressed up in costumes.) Well I explained everything to them, then they went on walking. As I turned around there was a man standing right next to me. He started to grab me I pushed him away, and he did it again. I kicked him with my boots and all, and to my suprise a group of cosplayers ran up to me.

I just want to thank them for not just watching. (I guess they ran the 2 blocks over to me, when they saw everything with the guy start.)

(I don't think that guy would mess with anyone wearing 6inch platform boots again.)

Yet still I thank you guys for being concerned about a random cosplayer!

I want to thank everyone I met on Picto chat, and those random people I hung out with. All of you made my con.

Thanks to the staff, and BCC staff. (Sorry for scaring one of you.)

I love you all.

[SoraVII 0]

Want to thank all the awesome people talked to in Pictochat who are some of the most hilarious, talented, random artists and people I've ever met, lol.

[OtakonOtaku 0]

wow this thread makes me want to cry XD . I'm glad to see that there are so many helpful people at Otakon makes me wish i had seen something too but It gives me many more good things to tell others about the con attendees for first time con-goers

[evilm00 1]

At the risk of incurring the wrath of the off-topic gods, I saw this thread and it made me think of this:

http://www.overcompensating.com/posts/20080807.html

[F00LY 36]

Thanks a ton to the staff who ran this thing, answering my questions politely and quickly (first time con-goer gets lost a lot on Friday >_>) as well as the people nearby who answered the questions when I was unable to get a helpful response. Also to all the beautiful cosplayers who let you take their pictures over and over!

SPECIAL THANKS to the girl who sat in Row 3 of the Yuri Lowenthall 11 AM panel who found my cell phone and returned it, rather than doing something with it. =)

I apologize to anyone who it may have disrupted as I called it to try and relocate it during the retracing of my steps.

[Muramasa 0]

It may seem silly, but I seriously want to thank anyone that moved out of my way during one of my ''scuse me, 'scuse me, really important, I need to get through' powerwalks across the convention center. Like many other staff members, I was under a lot of stress at times running time-sensitive errands, and the people who did the little things like stepping to the right on the escalators really helped me out.

I also want to thank the tireless dedication of certain staff members (you know who you are) that made sure other tirelessly dedicated staff members took breaks and ate meals. It's very easy to forget these things when you're surrounded by laptops & notepads in your 13th - 16th hour of work in a day. The irony of me being cranky and saying, "I'm a grown @&$ man, I know my body and I'll eat when I need to" is that I'm actually being cranky and snarky, which happens when I'm very food and/or sleep deprived. <3

[Katty Hooves 0]

I was sitting at the Gaia event Friday, when a kindly stranger tapped me on my shoulder & handed me my wallet that had popped out of my back pocket. Though I didn't have much cash in it, it did have my state id & credit cards which would have been a pain to replace. So again I'd like to thank that stranger for saving me from a big hassle to get that stuff replaced!!

[Rayne 0]

I know I must have seemed like a weirdo to these people, but I'd like to thank the kids who were in front of me in the line for the masquerade for letting me kind of join their group. My cousin abandoned me in line at the last minute, leaving me alone, but the people I was talking to in front of me let me join their group, without treating me like a crazy stranger for attaching myself to them. I know I must have seemed odd, but it made me feel so much better, having other people to sit with during the masquerade and hang out with, and most importantly, having people to walk back to the convention center with in the dark. I was freaked about that prospect of walking back alone, so thanks guys! It was great to have met you all!

Oh, and I'd also like to thank the parents of some cosplayers on the light rail for helping direct me and my group how to get back to our hotel, and for standing with us on one of the platforms in the dark so we weren't out there by ourselves.

[Chioki 0]

(this sounds realy dumb but, oh well)

I'd like to thank those people who wanted my picture, even if I wasn't cosplaying as anyone specifically. It made my day!

[TheSilentSenshi 0]

Thanks to the girl in the dealers room who actually walked me to a booth, and let me know there was a better deal over there. Turns out the deal wasn't that much better, but it was the thought that counted and made my day to know there are nice people out there.

Also, thanks to the cabby on Saturday night who actually waited until my mom and I were safely in the house before driving away (it wasn't the nicest part of town, especially after midnight). I was staying with a relative and I thought it was totally cool of him to do (after all we had already paid him).

Oh and thanks to all the cosplayers that were cool and didn't get angry when my camera acted up and took longer to take pictures than it should have(I plan to upgrade to a new one for next year). I always felt bad. There was this one group of cosplayers in particular (a cloud and reno couple) and they said I was welcome to find them later. Turns out I got my camera working and they were happy to pose for me all over again 5 minutes later. Even though they were on their own time in the dealers room. You guys were awesome. XD

One last shout out to all the people who did their best to give directions (both staff and a few non-staff) who went out of there way to help someone totally new to the BCC.

Edited August 13, 2008 by TheSilentSenshi

[Triskaideka 0]

I saw three separate dealers take (in some cases extraordinary) measures to get the attention of a customer who had walked away from their booth without collecting the change from their purchase. I'm sure that they were experienced businesspeople who know that there's no benefit in keeping the money in the long run, but even so, they could have simply done nothing, and it was heartwarming to see them go out of their way.

I didn't see it, but a friend told me about a cosplayer who, when asked to pose for a picture, said something to the effect of "sure, but let's move over here so we won't be blocking traffic." Thanks for being thoughtful, random cosplayer!

[Krissay-face 0]

I want to thank any con-goers who moved as I ran past them on my way to the bathroom, yelling, "MOVE PLEASE! SORRY! EXCUSE ME!" on Saturday.

Thanks to those people, we saved the entire con from me vomiting in the hallway.. >_> (TMI. I'm sorry, but it's true and you know it.)

Ultra thanks to the person who took my picture while I was feeling sick before that who told me how moe I was. xD

That made me feel SO much better.

Compliments are nice. 8D Hurray for cosplay!

Edited August 14, 2008 by Krissay-face

[cidgirl 0]

There are two people who I would want to thank that helped me out in the dealers room. One was 2 guys who instead of just telling me where they bought something, they walked back there and had me follow just so I could get there correctly. Second was on Sunday when my cellphone died and I had no way of getting hold of my friends, someone let me use their cellphone to call them up. Majority of the people at the con were very nice and very cool.

Edited August 14, 2008 by ZGL
added double post. please try not to double-post.

[fegie 0]

Since i went to the con by myself, everyone i was rooming with were strangers. So i'd want to say thanks for talking to me & saying hi & everything, since i was definitely an odd one out. I wish i'd gotten contact info before i had to leave, but i had no time (& maybe everyone was glad once i left anyway^ ^;;;;;;;;. So i don't know how to find anyone, & don't even know if they're on here...

Nevertheless, thanks you guys! \^ ^/

[Mabdese 0]

Dear Guy and Guy yelling with a pineapple,

I have no clue what you were doing but I was feeling so dead that day and my only joy was the ridiculous amount of random you and your pineapple brought into my life. Thanks for cheering me up without knowing it!

[Cousinsue 0]

Dear Guy and Guy yelling with a pineapple,

I have no clue what you were doing but I was feeling so dead that day and my only joy was the ridiculous amount of random you and your pineapple brought into my life. Thanks for cheering me up without knowing it!

Now... I want to know the whole story behind this one.

[4chanpartyvan 0]

I lost my bag on Friday night. It had two cameras, all of my merchandise, my ID, my phone, over 100 glowsticks, and over $200 in cash that I was holding for a friend.

I searched frantically for it; it was not in the hallway that I had lost it in 10 minutes ago. There were too many good things inside of it, how could it have possibly been saved?

I rushed down to info, they were very helpful and kind, and they got me into the lost and found.

I went in to find that someone had brought my bag, completely untouched! I was so happy, and I want to thank whoever did that for me.

[fegie 0]

Also! I can't believe i forgot. Thank you to the two women who, individually, helped me with the lightrail. Since it was my first time using it, i had no idea how to work the thing & to know when to get off, or even if i was going in the right direction. So thanks to you two, though you'll definitely never read this...

[Defective14 0]

This is to the female in the pink corsette and pink hair: Thanks for biting me! LMAO. I was surprised when you did it the first time and even more surprised when you bit me a second time! You left a nasty little scar, but no worries!

To the person who was cosplaying as Ana ((sp?)) from One Piece who went through the hugline: Thanks for letting me pick you up in a spinning hug and also thanks for allowing me to take a photo! Truly cute and huggable~!

Edited August 14, 2008 by Defective14

[littleninja 0]

I'd like to thank all the nice tall people in front of me during photoshoots! xD Namely the two guys I met during Bandai's Code Geass cosplay event/Yuri Lowenthal autograph session.

I'm tiny, around five feet tall, and there were much taller and bigger people around me, pretty much pushing me around for a closer spot. At first I didn't get a chance to take any photos or even see the cosplayers, but during Bandai's event a nice guy in front of me let me switch places with him so I could be in front and take photos! When the line started and people were blitzing into it, another guy told the people around him to watch out for me cause he didn't want to see me get trampled. During other photoshoots I was pushed to the back or something, but these guys actually let me have their spots. It's a little silly, but really, thank you, it really made my day!

[ruebert 0]

I'd like to thank whomever it was at the rave Saturday night who found my friend's ID when she lost it on the dancefloor. You saved us a lot of grief and worry, kind stranger.

[GlitteringLoke 0]

I want to thank the staff that agreed to let the two girls from CO that specifically came out for Kappei-san in to see him at the end of his autograph session and the rest of the line that agreed to dismantle in order for that to happen. Much thanks to the staff on that one.

[killerrobo 0]

I'd like to say a HUGE thanx to the kind person who picked up my lost cellphone, then actually answered it, gave me a description of himself and waited at the reg booths so that I could retrieve it. Had I lost it at any other place in Baltimore, on any other day, that would not have happened.

Thanks, strangers!

[Flying Scotsman 0]

We would like to thank the Otakon members who are so excruciatingly honest that they have, at least in the past, attempted to hand in a $5 bill and even a $1 bill to Lost and Found--thus reducing the Otakon staffers involved with L&F to beating their heads softly but firmly upon the table, and hollering at the poor innocent members to "Put that dang thing in yer dang pocket and enjoy the dang con, dang it!"

[Hime-chan 0]

I just wanted to say thanks to the people who stopped and gave me water and WALL-E band-aids after i faceplanted on the sidewalk friday afternoon. I was very suprised that so many people stopped to help me. Thanks to their help my costume and i walked away mostly unscathed.

[technomage 0]

I didn't see it, but a friend told me about a cosplayer who, when asked to pose for a picture, said something to the effect of "sure, but let's move over here so we won't be blocking traffic." Thanks for being thoughtful, random cosplayer!

[brightdreamer 0]

I didn't see it, but a friend told me about a cosplayer who, when asked to pose for a picture, said something to the effect of "sure, but let's move over here so we won't be blocking traffic." Thanks for being thoughtful, random cosplayer!

As a staffer, I'd also like to thank this person, as well as anyone else who did this. It's amazing the little things that members can do to make things a whole lot easier on the staffers.