the ugly hat

Usually my posts are earth-shakingly significant. This one is no different. Anyway, one time I went skiing with a bunch of people, including one of my brothers. Middle Bro was wearing a rather --- interesting hat/beanie/touque thing. It was not so much a fashion disaster as a state of emergency. Anyway, in true Middle Bro fashion, he didn't care what everyone thought of his hat, since he liked it, and so he wore it cheerfully all day.

At the end of the day, as we were leaving the park, I remember that Middle Bro was receiving some additional feedback regarding his headwear. In more Middle Bro fashion, he started speaking to a total stranger as if they were best of friends. To a random, pretty woman, he said, pointing to his head, "What do you think of my hat? Isn't it a nice hat?" She smiled at him, seemed to look up at his hat and then look him in the eye, and said, "Yes, it's very nice." He trotted off happily, exclaiming "Hey! You guys! SHE likes my hat! See that woman, she said she likes my hat!" I looked at her again and realized she was a woman I'd seen earlier that day --- skiing with a guide. At the time she'd had a vest on that said BLIND SKIER. I heard her friend laugh and say to her, "I don't think he knows how insincere you were..." I guess you know it's time to give it up when a blind person is the only one who likes your hat.