Saturday, April 12, 2008

What are you known as?

I never knew the names of the two female gym teachers who used to live a couple of miles down the road; they were always referred to as "the lesbian couple." (Actually, my neighbors didn't use the term lesbian, but we won't go into that.) Other nameless people live on the road as well. For example, we have "the retired teacher," "the artist," and "the woman who has peacocks." And how could I forget "the family with the pool"?

When we first moved here we were known as "the New Yorkers." I would hope at this point I've been given credit for my 32 years in this house, but you never know. I do know some people who used to think of me as "the flower gardener," but I doubt that applies anymore. I hope some still think of me as "the blonde," although these days that does seem doubtful. But some labels stick . . . and stick and stick. "The guy with the limp" will probably still be known that way long after he's had his knee replaced.

Labeling doesn't just happen in rural areas, of course. At a certain age, most of us are thought of, at least by strangers and casual acquaintenances, as "old woman" or "old man." Children are children. Teenagers are teenagers. Gays are gays, unless you live in a more evolved community than mine. As for colorblindness, I hope it will happen in my lifetime but I'm not counting on it.

Getting back to my dirt road, I've heard mention of "those people from Maryland," "the old man with the buckets" (he feeds his horses), and "Edna's sister's kid." As for me, I'm probably known as "that city woman who always has a camera around her neck" or "the one who lives in the Indian's house" (people from India lived here in the 1950s, but my neighbors have long memories) or "the one who doesn't go to our church." I don't know any of this for sure, but I know I'll never ask.

Oh, wait! I just remembered that our veterinarian calls me The Big Boob . . . because I founded the county's first La Leche League group. :-)

9 comments:

crystal said...

There's a neighbor down the street that I think of as "the guy with the fig tree" and another pair as "the neighbors who fighht all the time". I'm probably the dead tree lady :)

Helen said...

I used to have Audi couple across the street and the sex trailer people next door. I would love to know what I am called...

Indigo Bunting said...

I love this post.

--That Woman Who Works at Home Who You Never See

Indigo Bunting said...

And OK, yeah, it's Whom.

Susan said...

Are you sure it's whom? Sounds weird. Glad you love the post.

Good to hear from The Dead Tree Lady, That Woman Who Works at Home Who(m) You Never See, and The Hottie in the Flannel Lingerie.

Helen said...

The hottie in flannelette lingerie needs educating: when does one use "whom"?

Mali said...

Great post Susan. I know I don't often comment but you also cheered me up enormously about winter coming and covering up my stomach!

IB: I think I'm the NZ version of "That Woman Who Works at Home Whom You Never See" (did I get the whom right?)

... either that or we're "The Childless Couple with the Big Trees"

Ruth Hull Chatlien said...

Amusing and profound.

I think I must be the "lady who grows lots of roses but lets dandelions overrun the lawn."

Indigo Bunting said...

I think Mali is exactly right.