One of my favorite things about Bryan and I as a couple is that, between the two of us, we know someone EVERYWHERE we go. (Same holds true with The Boy. He knows more people than we could dream of knowing.) Everywhere we go, we will run into two or three people that know us and.. get this.. like us. (Or they will like one of us and silently tolerate the other half.)
I say that with amazement because, as a child, I was one of 14 Sarahs in every class. Add to that that I was pale and blonde, and I was pretty much invisible. I moved through life without being memorable to anyone, and was resigned to such a life of anonymity. I figured that once a show closed, the entire cast forgot that I ever existed. Or once I graduated, I was immediately erased from people’s memory. Or once I left that job, my coworkers (even if they saw me in public) would just glaze over me as if I were faceless.
Which is why, in public, I will see people I know and not approach them. Case in point: we sat one section over from my hairdresser and her family at last week’s Havoc game. Bryan said, “Why don’t you go say hi?” and I didn’t have an answer. But the answer is, “Because there is nothing more humiliating than saying hi and then having to re-introduce yourself.”
But in the last few years, I have noticed that people will come up to me now. Especially if I’m with Bryan. I think this is either because I look more approachable with a mate or because they read this site and they really want to meet the man who says I inspire him “to hold [his] poots in.”Â
This comes with a bit of pressure. I feel the need to wear a bra in public. All the time. Even if I’m just walking down to Star Market. Because Lord forbid I crave some andouille sausage and happen to bump into Mayor Spencer with bouncy and sagging boobs. I also have to praise my hairdresser, for teaching me how to make my head look good for TWO DAYS IN A ROW, thus saving my lazy ass the trouble of washing it. The cut makes itself work no matter what look my outfit portrays, so she is a miracle worker to rival the deeds of Mother Teresa.
I have no clever way to end this trail of thought, and looking back, I’m not sure I ever had a plan to end it. I think I was looking back on the last evening, where we saw tons of people we knew in Parkway Place, and even got to witness one of them hit on a giant bunny.
I will say this, however; if I were to set tags to this post (in HTML speak, that’s like tagging key words that search engines would find), they would be like this:
[tags]invisible, Mayor Spencer, Star Market, saggy boobs, Mother Teresa, giant bunny[/tags]
You gotta admit, that’s a helluva post right there.
As a fellow Sarah I totally understand…I’d bet you a bag of m&m’s that we have the same middle name too…
And by the way, you and Bryan are totally cool.
Aww, thanks. We need unmitigated approval like that. Because we’re lame in so many aspects.
What is it with Sarah’s having limited middle names? Mine’s Lena, but every Sarah I’ve ever met is Lee (a close enough version to Lena) or Elizabeth.
Oh goodness. You’ve got to be kidding! Sarah Lee? I’m so glad my parents didn’t name me that!
I’ve met five thousand Sarah Lees.
(Bryan just read that and said, “Really? Really. Five thousand. More like, two.” He’s not a fan of the hyperbole.)
Sarah must be like Katie. I have met five thousand. I can also count up to 7 Sarahs off the top of my head.
I think Sarah and Katie were very popular names in the 80s. But now, if you go to any baby names website, they’re probably not in the top 10.
Thank God.
I love the hyperbole and use it 2.6 million times a day. Seriously though, I would never name my kid the same thing as a company. Too cruel. I will, of course, have only daughters and I will name them either have people I admire, or my first plan, after famous female, child, book characters. Of couse, since your friend named her baby Scout, that would look like a copycat move, except that I don’t know her. But I was thinking maybe Eloise or Madeline. My fave kids book character is Ramona, but I don’t think I have the heart to name a kid Ramona.
Oh, I love the name Ramona (she was one of my favorites, too). Along with Mary (The Secret Garden), Sarah (The Little Princess), and my alltime favorite, Anne. (With an e, from Anne of Green Gables).
I’m meeting a “Phil Free” Tuesday…Isn’t that great?
I was catching up on some missed reading (your post is always on my list to read) and saw this name thing.
My poor grandmother gave names such at these:
My mom: Anita Aycock (say it out load)
My aunt: Nelda Aycock (again out lout)
Just thought I would share.
I did not slow down enough to type that message, lol sorry for the spelling
WOW! How horribly sadistic, to name children that!! I actually met a girl named Eurethra once.
Glad to see you around!!
While ‘Sarah’ happened to be the most popular name for girls the year you were born (as was Jennifer in her birth year), you were FAR from invisible as a child! Every teacher took such great delight in you (well except that old burned-out 1st grade teacher). Each felt you were the most empathetic child they had known. Such a delight, with your sunny disposition and your keen sense of humor! And, yes, quite brilliant….