Invisible
I'm going to keep my NaBloPoMo promise, but the next few posts will be sketchy, being at a work thing and all.
I'm stealing internet in the lobby of my hotel, after a long fucking day of thinking, listening to a musak version of a Crowded House song that I know you know, but can't for the life of me remember the name for.
Work conferences are always strange. I've been with my org for almost 4 years now, have been coming to these conferences for not much less time than that. No one ever recognizes me.
Today, I had a woman, a woman who has been to my workplace countless times, to whom I have been introduced several times, who has sat across the table from me at group dinners, today I had this woman, after I asked her about her poster, after she started in on her answer, suddenly pause and said "Are you Canadian?"
I love it, I have to say. I feel like I could do almost anything here, and no one would notice. It makes me feel like a superhero.
OK, but here is where it gets weird.
I thought I saw you today at a local café where I have seen you before. I did not approach or say hello because you, or rather the person I thought was you, had their head down, ear buds in, and was tap-tapping away on a lap-top.
I thought to myself, "OK, last time you disrupted her when she was working on a dead-line, so this time you will be respectful and ignore her."
So, when you are thereyou are not recognized, but when you aren't there you are recognized... eeek!
Hi Megan, I'm new in the neighborhood and found your blog while browsing and looking for Ottawa bloggers. This is quite a story! were you able to find out why this happens? It's really interesting...
And, by the way... Are you Canadian?
Woodsy! You should always come and say hi!
Guillermo - I think it's just that even in the small pond of my field, I'm a tiny fish.