Observations from the 2007 San Francisco Pillow Fight

Luckily for me, my girlfriend hates Valentine’s Day. Not only am I off hook when it comes overpriced dinners, flowers, and chocolates, but she actively discourages these things. However, she does expect individualized manifestations of affection—something that shows that I “get” her. This year, we went to the Pillow Fight at Justin Herman Plaza, where a couple thousand people took their hacks at one another for half an hour. Pretty cool concept and very San Francisco (although I am not sure if the idea actually originated here). Pictures available here.

Call me a prude (and I'm sure you will after reading #1 and #4 below), but I have a difficult time consenting to strangers hitting me with their drool-stained, lice-infested pillows. Here my observations from the sidelines:

1. Consider wearing some protective gear because pillow fighting can cause serious injury. Some of the people in the center of the melee were really throwing haymakers and I saw several people stagger out of the pillow fight in a daze. A helmet would best, but a football style mouth guard would probably go a long way in avoiding any damage to your domepiece.
2. Bring a friend who is not interesting in joining the fracas to hold your stuff. San Francisco is an urban area, and the Pillow Fight takes place right after work on a weekday. This means that everyone is carrying a bag of some sort. Apart from the obvious concern of losing your stuff, a bag will inhibit your mobility and range of motion, as well as annoy other people in the Pillow Fight.
3. Bathe at least 24 hours before fight night. Please. For the sake of your fellow pillow fighters. You know, I'm not sure why this observation takes place in the aftermath of the Pillow Fight, because it applies equally to every other day of the year to the throngs of greasy hipsters and hippies that comprise 50% of the population age 35 and under.
4. Decide on a post-fight meeting point ahead of time. You will be hungry and thirsty and it sucks to have to spend 30 minutes just to regroup.
5. Wear a costume. This is easily combined with Observation #1. Combine a helmet, goggles, and maybe some elbow pads and you will have a pretty humorous get-up that earn you smiles and nods of approval from everyone around.