Tragically Unhip
The new job is going well. Its a bit more fast paced than the old gig, as I'm coming in the middle of much transition in the organization. I have a cube rather than an office, but I have a window and natural light! The new place is very quiet compared to my old workplace. I'm just glad to be getting through my first half week there, and starting to get a bit of a feel for it...
However, my new office is in a big building owned by an ultra-hip creative services agency. They have their own coffee bar, which our staff utilizes as well. So, on Friday, I decided to go to the coffee bar. I was attired in an Old Navy t-shirt and jeans. I looked every inch the 38-year-old mom, non-profit employee I am. At the coffee bar, there was a young guy, late 20s the perfected "messy" hair look, and carefully "stressed" jeans. He was chatting up two blondes. One had white girl dreadlocks, newsboy cap and many piercings. Her companion was probably close to my age, but trying with every fiber of her being not to be. She had ultra low rise jeans and sharp jutting hipbones, and a tiny tee that looked like it would be too small even for my daughter, and super straight blond hair. As a I walked up to the bar, all three stared at me. It was really unnerving. They looked disappointed and exasperated...as if my mere presence had destroyed the ultra-hip, cool moment. As if they were basking each other's coolness, and I had come in and destroyed it all.
There's a line in the movie Forrest Gump, where Forrest meets Jenny at a radical Black Panther meeting. There's and altercation and Forrest says, "I'm sorry I ruined your Black Panther party." As the three got up and left before my mocha was even served to me, I felt like calling after them, "I'm sorry I ruined your ultra-hip cool hang out spot...."
I didn't no whether to laugh, cry or merely be amused that this little exchange. I was never one of the cool kids- I had braces, I was in band, I was shy, I've always been clumsy. Part of me felt like- is this junior high? aren't we all past this? Ahh, well maybe not. Maintaining my caffiene intake is much more important that preserving the sanctity of the the ultra hip coffee spot. I think they need to get used to me temporary disrupting the coolness quotient.
However, my new office is in a big building owned by an ultra-hip creative services agency. They have their own coffee bar, which our staff utilizes as well. So, on Friday, I decided to go to the coffee bar. I was attired in an Old Navy t-shirt and jeans. I looked every inch the 38-year-old mom, non-profit employee I am. At the coffee bar, there was a young guy, late 20s the perfected "messy" hair look, and carefully "stressed" jeans. He was chatting up two blondes. One had white girl dreadlocks, newsboy cap and many piercings. Her companion was probably close to my age, but trying with every fiber of her being not to be. She had ultra low rise jeans and sharp jutting hipbones, and a tiny tee that looked like it would be too small even for my daughter, and super straight blond hair. As a I walked up to the bar, all three stared at me. It was really unnerving. They looked disappointed and exasperated...as if my mere presence had destroyed the ultra-hip, cool moment. As if they were basking each other's coolness, and I had come in and destroyed it all.
There's a line in the movie Forrest Gump, where Forrest meets Jenny at a radical Black Panther meeting. There's and altercation and Forrest says, "I'm sorry I ruined your Black Panther party." As the three got up and left before my mocha was even served to me, I felt like calling after them, "I'm sorry I ruined your ultra-hip cool hang out spot...."
I didn't no whether to laugh, cry or merely be amused that this little exchange. I was never one of the cool kids- I had braces, I was in band, I was shy, I've always been clumsy. Part of me felt like- is this junior high? aren't we all past this? Ahh, well maybe not. Maintaining my caffiene intake is much more important that preserving the sanctity of the the ultra hip coffee spot. I think they need to get used to me temporary disrupting the coolness quotient.
posted by moegirl at
3:31 PM
4 Comments:
There are a lot of us tragically unhip folks walking around PDX. If they had to move every time a person clad in Birkenstocks and socks (such as myself) stepped into their orbit they'd never be able to stay in one place.
I'm gonna hazard a guess that it was just a coincidence that they left soon after you arrived and if not? Their loss!!!!
By
Rozanne, At
5:32 PM
I just feel terribly sorry for them. If what you percieved is what really happened, what sad, shallow lives, especially the one who was trying so very hard to be younger than her years.
And, missy! You were cool. You just didn't know it. You could transcend the cliques, like Charles could.
By
Diana, At
6:40 AM
Probably a coincidence that that happened. Being ourselves is just easier me thinks.
I would have loved to see how they reacted to a 40 year old guy of Indian ancestry like me who dresses business casual?
But then again I just don't care, I am here deal with it is how I react to it. :)
By
karmic, At
7:46 AM
Let's look at the subject differently. Maybe they were talking and looked over because they didn't know you. They may have been “disappointed and exasperated” because of what they were talking about not because you were using the coffee station. I’m only saying this because you tend to get down on yourself, and assume others are thinking the same insane thoughts.
Next time you run into a similar group just remember this quote from Helen Fielding’s character Olivia Joules No one is thinking about you, they are thinking about themselves just like you are. I work in a very hip environment, and most people really don’t care what everyone else is wearing. They just enjoy dressing that way.
You also have an odd memory about HS. You were in band only 1 year (w/ our buddy TS). Junior and Senior year you were quite popular. I don’t recall a time when you were on the ballot for Homecoming or Prom Queen, plus you were in student government. That was the ultimate stamp of cool at RPHS.
Gail
By
Anonymous, At
1:39 PM
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