A clown car of middle aged ladies. 🌈🦄
On being mistaken for a helper.
As you might have seen on social media, I'm a wee bit obsessed with these Big Bud jumpsuits. They come in a rainbow of colors, have a gazillion sizes (from XXS to 6 XL) and I love the models they choose for their website- super inclusive, playful and cool, made in California.
When my girlfriends and I spent some time in Palm Springs last week, imagine my joy when I realized that there was brick and mortar Big Bud store in Palm Springs - a short walk from our Airbnb. Naturally, I had all my friends get one too so we could twin it up, elementary school style! What are you wearing tomorrow?!! Remember those days?
When our friend Lacy arrived at the airport, we all descended on her like a clown car of middle-aged rainbow ladies. but that's the great thing about being middle-aged, we don't care if we look weird!
But here's what I want to tell you. Every time I wear one of these jumpsuits, people ask me for help. When I wore a green one in our local Botanical garden, an elderly couple mistook me for a naturalist and asked me about various plants. When I smiled and said, “I don't know, but they are so pretty!” The man looked at me quizzically, but then proceeded to tell me about how he had just gotten back from his final trip to Germany (his homeland) and pointed to his cane. “I don't think I'll make it back again in this lifetime, but I'm so glad to have this wonderful place,” gesturing to the garden.
At the airport in Oakland last week, I helped a woman about my mother's age. She seemed lost and possibly needed a wheelchair, so I got her some help and she thanked me gratefully. When we saw each other again in the security line, she looked surprised. “Wait, are you a passenger? I thought you worked for the airline!”
I like being mistaken for a helper. To be honest, this has been happening for years… long before the jumpsuit. People ask me for help in dress shops, Target, everywhere. It might be because I like looking at people and often smile. It helps me feel at home in the world.
I've been joking with a friend that we should embroider name tags on our outfits. Or instead of a name, simply “Helper” or “Steward for Humanity” so people know that we are friendly humans in a sea of strangers.
What if we all did that? Had t-shirts that said stuff like “practicing courage” on the back? or “I probably need a hug” or “kind of lonely" or "totally available to talk about menopause" ;)