Every day before I leave for the job I suit up in my orange fluorescent vest. I love these eleven things about it, in no particular order.
- It marks me as a person of distinction.
- It’s the first time in my life I’ve worn a uniform.
- No matter whether or not I wear eye liner and mascara, I identify to others as a man. Cross-dressing: cool.
- It’s the leopard skin pill box ubiquitous hat of construction.
- People see right through me. All they understand is the vest. I could rob a bank in my reflective vest. It gives me total immunity.
- It says I’m just a working grunt. The barista at the hipster café near the site barely deigns to meet my eyes. I’m a ghost. Not special, for a change. I’ve migrated from the chattering class to the working class. Yippee.
- The men on the construction crews accept me somewhat more readily as we’re wearing the same uniform.
- The vest never has to be washed. The dirtier the better, that’s the style.
- It hides my homely workclothes – I’m the Orange is the New Black of arborists, says my daughter, wearing my baggy Carharts.
- It’s transformative. It reminds me that I am different. Today I not only glow, I day glow.
- Old ladies ask me questions about things on the street, thinking I know something about something. “Is this a city project?” “Is the city going to be doing the whole street?” “Who’s paying for this, anyway?” You are, lady. I’m just standing here wearing a vest.
Wow, a way to jump right into the Old(er)-women-are-invisible thing
way before your time! Love the post- I’m still smiling!
Yea! Let’s see a photo of the Invisible You in full gear! I think Carhartts are cool. They would work well with Buck Naked Underwear items from Duluth Trading Company! Such clever ads! http://www.duluthtrading.com/