Aug 19, 2008

“Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence in society.” Mark Twain Ever noticed how many people have 'a look' and how much trouble they go to in order to maintain it? I'm not talking about good grooming and dress or looking fashionable. It is something different than that. A unique look that is theirs. Before I slip in to this morass any deeper, I hasten to point out that I am not (a) questioning anyone's right to be an individual, (b) making fun of anyone, (c) being judgmental. So save those accusations. I always wonder about the lengths to which men particularly, will go to make a statement about themselves in their appearance. Merle Wayne Sneed prefers to remain an enigma by looking nondescript, but to each his own. I am thinking of some guys that I see on a regular basis around here. One guy is an old hippie that I see at the bookstore near our house. He drives an old pick up and is usually wearing bib overalls and a long sleeved denim shirt. The ensemble is completed with a floppy hat. He has really long gray hair. He looks like a moonshiner or what I imagine a moonshiner looks like anyway. His is a look that takes a lot of work to maintain I would guess. Another guy comes into our store nearly every day. He is a former Marine. The Marines insist that there are no former Marines, just Marines, but that's a technicality. This fellow is a retired Marine. He is also scary odd because he never buys anything, he just walks around the store like he's conducting an inspection. Attempts at conversation are futile. The Marine is very fit for a man of sixty or so. He is always dressed the same way, in crisp shorts, a Marine Corp embelmed tee shirt and one of those olive drab Marine Corp caps. Every day, same thing. I get that the whole The Few, The Proud, The Marines thing, but this Marine Corps pride taken to the extreme, if you ask me. Anyway, that's just an observation. Things in this blog represented to be fact, may or may not actually be true. The writer is frequently wrong, sometimes just full of it, but always judgmental and cranky

15 comments:

mouse (aka kimy) said...

both the old hippie and the marine essentially are wearing uniforms...same thing every day - so really their respective looks are very easy to maintain.

I love your observations! you are such a wit and sage.

I'm somewhat scared of the marine....who needs someone conducting daily inspections! have you thought of putting him under surveillance when he leaves your shop to see what he does with the rest of his day.

tut-tut said...

I agree with Kimy. Perhaps the Marine is looking for something to do. Handing him a broom might be just the ticket. Or his wife just wants him out of the house and he doesn't like the library.

Anonymous said...

Personally, Marine guy sounds scary. Stay away from him....

Wanderer said...

I wouldn't attempt to be friendly to the marine or the hippie. I would guess they both want to be left alone. a smile and nod would be as far as I would go.

Megan said...

Ex-Marines are spooky.

Kurt said...

Technically, that's called loitering. Call the fuzz.

dennis said...

Dennis thinks he's stealing very small things.

Coffee Messiah said...

It all sounds very suspicious.

Reya Mellicker said...

Every time I go back to visit San Francisco, I am shocked by the lengths people go to in order to trick themselves out. Wow.

Here in DC, we do not dress to be seen. Here it's more about substance (or obstinence?) than about style.

I've never had a "look," though I'm thinking that as I get older, it might help if I would dress a little nicer. Hmmmm...

Unknown said...

My look says somebody spilled something on me.

Unknown said...

My look says somebody spilled something on me.

Unknown said...

My look says somebody spilled something on me.

tut-tut said...

Julia seems to have spilled something here . . .

Bobby D. said...

Gee Julia, I hope things get better for you.

Bobby D. said...

Julia, Have you tried sippy cups?