Hi Girls,
Have you ever had to wrestle yourself to the floor to keep yourself from saying something that you probably should not say?
Or should you just say it? --sweetly and quietly -- just tell the guy? Even though it is none of your business? Even though you have never seen him before and likely will never see him again?
Have you ever had to wrestle yourself into NOT giving unsolicited advice to a perfect stranger? Even though you know in your heart that you would make that person's life sooooo much better if you just said it?
Ohhhh, those dilemmas life throws our way.....
Here's what happened....
Mr. Boomer and I were having breakfast this morning in a restaurant when a man walked in wearing a suit and tie and white shirt, and all that, looking quite spiffy. He chatted pleasantly with the server as he made his way to a corner booth. And then it happened!
He took off his suit jacket to hang it up and that's when I saw what the poor, misguided man had done to himself.
He was wearing suspenders -- which I still like even though I know they probably are not hot anymore like they were a few years back -- so the suspenders part was OK. BUT he was ALSO wearing a belt. A belt AND suspenders!
Oh my! What to do?
I fretted about it to Mr. Boomer who did not seem to care. (He was busy with his bad, bad breakfast involving fried eggs and fried potatoes and bacon.)
I told Mr. Boomer about the time a friend of mine showed up at work wearing brand new suspenders AND a belt. He was strutting around a bit and asked me how I liked his new suspenders. Well.......what is a friend to do??? We had worked together for many years. This guy trusted my judgment. I could not betray the friendship. So, finally, I had to just say it....
I said, "Your suspenders are great, but you must never ever wear suspenders AND a belt. So please get rid of that belt before anybody else notices."
Well, at first, my friend was rather taken aback. But knowing who he was talking to, and that I had never steered him wrong before, he ditched the belt and never again wore it with his great suspenders.
But that was a friend. And he had asked.
The guy in the restaurant this morning was a perfect stranger. I could have changed his life for the better. But I chose not to. I let him finish his breakfast in peace, get up, put his suit jacket back on, and walk out of my life forever....never knowing. (sigh)
AND THEN I learned that the guy is a lawyer!
Ohhhhhhh, nooooooooo! What if? What if?
What if he was on his way to stand brilliantly in front of a jury, delivering a masterfully prepared closing, and on that jury there sat a hard-hearted, unforgiving fashionista who would not even listen to his words once she spotted that belt AND those suspenders. Ohhhhh, I will never know how many lives I could have changed this morning -- had I not succeeded in wrestling myself to the floor.
Boomer (face down in the stream of consciousness, once again)
PS: Just so ya know, I am not a fashionista. Heck, I have been trying for years to talk Mr. Boomer into growing a ponytail. I love gray ponytails. But he still just looks at me and shakes his head. But he has never been and never will be seen wearing a belt AND suspenders.