“That’s what the bandana’s for.” She pulled it up over her nose. “Of course, there’s going to be an air filter under this.” She pulled it back down. “The idea isn’t to disguise my identity. Everyone knows who I am. This is about throwing it in their faces, sticking it to ‘em, showing ‘em I’m not scared.” Her blue eyes were firing up like blowtorches.
Well, uh, it seems like you have that covered. You said you needed normal clothes too?
Matron groaned and facepalmed. “You are totally missing the- OK.” She pulled Roxanne into one of the bigger fitting rooms. “I didn’t want to say it out loud in public, but I’m trying to put together a hero uniform here. I tried drawing off the bad guys by running and sneaking, and it didn’t work. I went too far underground. I need to get their attention.”
[Bursts out laughing.]
….Oh my god you’re serious.
[Thinks about this a moment, still shocked by that revelation.]
You might want a mask too.
cautiouslyoptimisticandconfused:
Matron gave her a look. A very meaningful look,the look that says, Exactly. “What’s your point?”
[Sigh.]
Okay, but no hats. Except on Halloween.
Matron stood her ground. “There has to be a hat, Roxanne.”
No. The rest of the ensemble is far enough over the top already.
Matron gave her a look. A very meaningful look,the look that says, Exactly. “What’s your point?”
[Sigh.]
Okay, but no hats. Except on Halloween.
“I’ll get to that,” she said. “But I think maybe I haven’t been clear enough about the point of this trip. I do need inconspicuous street clothes, but…” And here she lowered her voice. “…I also need an outfit for when I want to be noticed.” She looked around a bit suspiciously. “You get my meaning?”
Yes, of course, but…so far what you’ve tried on looks more like a costume than anything else.
cautiouslyoptimisticandconfused:
“It’s not that I’m trying to conform. It’s kind of like throwing the slur back at them, turning it on its head,” she answered. “And if I do it right, it might even look cool.”
She emerged from the dressing room, outfitted like an urban cowboy. “Comments?”
[Stares in surprise for a long moment before answering.]
Absolutely not. Under no circumstances should you look like you should be shouting “yeehaw!” and calling people “pardner.”
“Damn. OK, starting over.” She went back into the fitting room and emerged again in a more muted version of the first outfit- brown shirt, grey neckerchief, grey slacks, the brown trench from before, brown leather belt, black workboots, and a black wide-brimmed hat. “Better?”
[Facepalm.]
Why don’t you try on what I picked out?
“It’s not that I’m trying to conform. It’s kind of like throwing the slur back at them, turning it on its head,” she answered. “And if I do it right, it might even look cool.”
She emerged from the dressing room, outfitted like an urban cowboy. “Comments?”
[Stares in surprise for a long moment before answering.]
Absolutely not. Under no circumstances should you look like you should be shouting “yeehaw!” and calling people “pardner.”
cautiouslyoptimisticandconfused:
Matron went up and down the aisles, mostly picking out items in brown or flannel or tan leather. “Hm. No, no. Doesn’t fit my idiom.”
[Shakes her head and picks out a couple more colorful, but still subdued, choices.]
Here, try these. There’s no need for you to look so…dull.
She shrugged. “Just trying to embrace the image people are pushing on me.” She took the armload into the fitting room.
In my experience things tend to work out better when you’re more…you than what everyone else wants you to be.
[No, she is not thinking of her boyfriend that she hasn’t seen in what feels like forever but is probably only a few weeks, what are you talking about.]
Matron went up and down the aisles, mostly picking out items in brown or flannel or tan leather. “Hm. No, no. Doesn’t fit my idiom.”
[Shakes her head and picks out a couple more colorful, but still subdued, choices.]
Here, try these. There’s no need for you to look so…dull.
“All that is well and good,” she answered, “but I still need something to wear besides this same dress I’ve had on for two days.”
[Nods.]
Of course. Let’s get started.
[Time to help an acquaintance in need and get some information about this verse!]
