Field Report 003 – Invisible at the Table

Logged by MaD SaXXon, Tibalt’s Apprentice

Ouch. My second visit to the LGS hit every insecurity I’ve ever carried—hard. Let me be clear: this wasn’t the shop’s fault. But it was rough. I sat there for an hour... and then quietly left.

I’ll own it—maybe I didn’t give off the warmest vibe. Maybe I looked unapproachable. But the thing is, no one even looked long enough to find out. Outside of the genuinely kind greeting I got from the person behind the counter, I felt invisible.

And that’s when my brain started picking at old scars. “Maybe I’m too old.” “Maybe they don’t want to play with someone who’s handicapped.” “Maybe it’s because I’m bald.” (Yeah, I know—LOL... but also ouch.) None of that is probably true. It’s likely just the result of not feeling seen in a space where I hoped to feel welcome.

So why write this down at all?

Because someone needs to say it: if you’re the new person, try to be seen. And if you’re one of the locals—make the effort to see someone. A simple “Hey,” a head nod, even just eye contact can go a long way. It might not seem like much to you, but to someone else, it could mean everything.

—MaD SaXXon, Tibalt’s Apprentice

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