I got looks at a Walmart the other day over a sweater I was wearing. Not like a whore lack of sweater type of sweater, but a fricking tourist sweater. You know those sweaters, sold at mammoth lakes, tahoe, venie, etc. Places you are visiting when you realize you didn't pack a sweater but should have and now you're stuck paying way too much for a sweater.
I got mine while visiting a friend in Lancaster a few years back. I stayed longer than I planned and needed a sweater thanks to my cars heater not functioning all the way. Thankfully, it didn't say "Lancaster, pride of the valley" or something like that. It just has the bear logo and says California in bold letters. It's a hoodie. It's blue and most importantly its warm and comfy.
So for a whole week the weather was decent, I felt overdressed in my Rocky boots and parka. I think, hey I can be like these people and wear a shirt, jeans, sweater, and sneaker... I'll just tell myself that it's 60 not 6. It worked! Until I pulled out of the garage and it started snowing.
You all know my lack of effort in getting dressed/ready for the day combined with my laziness is nothing sort of tragic.
I say "eff it I'm going out I can do this".
I get to Wally World to get some "supplies" for the gift baskets I made this year to sell my Mary Kay stuff. (sold three already!!!) As I'm walking up a guy on a bike screams "yeaaaaaaaaaa cali-for-nia!!! LOVE IT CUTIE".... Shows how quick I am... I had no clue he was talking to me. I was already smiling so I'll just hope he saw me smiling and took that as acknowledgement. I keep walking (just keep swimming just keep swimming just keep swimming swimming swimming). As I'm walking across the front of the store (I went in the side without a redbox so I was walking towards the other side to do that first) I hear a woman say "well! if you love California THAT much why are you here?!?" and I look around, thinking SOMEONE ELSE from California. must. find. new. friend.
no one just dirty, angry looks. I'm confused but that's normal.
So I return my movie, start walking to the gift wrap area and I hear more -little comments- about California.
Maybe it's all the crazy's in California, but unless you're willing to say something to my face, you generally don't make comments about someone when they within hearing range. Because when I turn around or look around, they turn their heads or walk away....
I'm standing in the aisle thinking REALLY!??!! It's a sweater! Not a statement. The only word is California. Not like it said
California, the center of energy
California, we get shit right the first time and when we don't we'll blame YOU
California, paradise cause where you live, SUCKS
and yet, the comments I heard were echo's of those statements.
so I check out and the cashier says, "Not from around here are you?" and I said "nope, what could've possibly given that away" and she just shakes her head. I check out and for the first time in years, I leave without saying thank you or have a good day. Of course, neither does she.
I get to the kennel where the cats are and as I walk in the girls working there say "way to advertise for your home state"
Get this, I'm so lame it wasn't until THAT moment that I realized they were talking about my sweater, and immediately told a friend on IM what was going on.
I ask and these girls are so sweet that they are totally honest with me and give me heads up on a lot of the stuff that goes on in North Dakota, what to expect, what not to do, what not to say. (like interstate, instead of the interstate, or the 94, just say interstate).
And they inform me that if you're wearing a logo that says anything other than something north dakota related you are saying you would rather be there. Apparently the guy on the bike was the only one who agreed with me that day.
They suggested I buy the same sweater only with the UND logo on it IF I wanted to stop hearing the comments. I asked if they ever bought sweaters while on vacation and one agreed full heartily. She has once from Venice (you know those ones that say lifeguard with the big white cross on them) but that she only wears it at home, or while on vacation elsewhere.
I ask why she doesn't wear it around town and her response "people here like to talk crap about other states" apparently it's some sort of disrespect issue. Like every other state should be bowing down to the people of ND, for what??? They don't even know. But when other people come in from other states and do exactly what they do and live here in the cold, they are still not "real ND people"... its crazy.
I don't get it. I would like to think it's because I was born and raised in California where even with racial issues people are accepting of others. If you can hack it, you're one of us. I've met people here that have lived, worked, volunteered, and done charities in ND for over 20 years and still say they aren't considered North Dakotans....
So what do I do...
I make that sweater my general rotation sweater.
suck it up princesses.
It's cold here, but guess what, I can hack it just as much as you can...
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