IN HIS MAJESTY’S  SERVICE.

I belong to a secluded camp of history buffs. Simply. My studies,my work and a greater part of my life revolving around history and art history. In my canadian years this subject was a constant and  haunting presence. A follower and a paparazzi if you like. Always appeared without warning and  accompanied me on my journey. History itself was a celebrity in my pocket.

After  the busy years in the art gallery I decided to take some time off from monotonous furniture work and polishing business. Lets do something way different!  I applied for a job in one of Toronto’s prestigious museum’s.  The job description was a bit vague,but I had an idea about it all. This museum and historical site was looking for historical interpreters and a visitor’s guide. Well, I applied for both openings and got both jobs, thanks to my multilingual  experience and my easily sociable nature mixed with an insurmountable appetite for history. My job was a simple 9 to 5 engagement in the museum. I jump started it with a kick…..

Picture me: dressed in a nineteen century costume I’ve guided visitors across the museum, explained  and demonstrated to them different chapters from the life of the early settlers of Canada. Me!? A sole Hungarian Settler in Big City who had no previous idea about  settling himself first…

I liked it there.I worked the grist mill,carpentry shop and the broommaker’s house. Quickly learned all trades and tried to enjoy one after the other. I worked  daytime in the 1800’s in period clothing( pioneer shirt and pants with suspenders and a wide rimmed hat) and period setting with period accoutrements forced to eat period food for lunch…. When I stepped out from this time machine daily after 5 o’clock I rushed to the first Subway for a tasty sandwich of the 21st. century or sometimes to the Mandarin for a nice chinese food. After the extremely healthy hardtack,black „cowboy coffee”,cheese and porridge meals of the day I had to have a spoil. Just like when switched my daytime claypipe to a pack of fine Belmont cigarettes in the evening watching Letterman at 8 in my lazyboy armchair at home. Do you think I stopped here? Of course not. I had to have an extended and sweet suffering to my  history buff mind and notsomuch  masochist  nature with a slightly obese body…

I ensigned as a private in his majesty King George the Third’s army…. What? This guy is crazy!Yes I was crazy indeed. Here is how…

There are countless  LARP (Live Action Role Playing) groups in North America depicting some sort historical reenactments such as battles,events  or even a full time period. These groups has a strict view and choreography in the recreation of such events. Hard to get in and harder to stay in. Proper military  trainings a must for a physically fit players…. I wasnt THAT fit. Well, after several battles and rough terrain training with a 30 kg kit-bag in a scorching summer temperature I became fit in no time. I was a sharpshooter in a special army unit called Rangers. This group depicted the time period of  the American War of Independence. Each private kitted with red uniform including hat and kit-bag and a long land pattern flintlock musket. First I had to learn how to handle this weapon.How to shoot,load,carry and such. Somehow I felt it was easy at first,because I knew in theory about these weapons pretty much in details. Easy at first,when not in a middle of  the battle,where rough terrain,hot summer heat,25  dragoons on horseback chasing you and you under constant fire by 10  sixpounder fieldcannons  mounted on carriages……(to be continued)