Nothing is Weird in Seattle

In honor of my sister’s visit to Seattle this week (she now lives in Japan), I want to talk about an “interesting” cultural aspect of Seattle, Washington. Years ago, when I lived in San Diego, I visited my sister in Seattle while she was attending The University of Washington here.  We were having breakfast at her home and I was wearing one of her robes.  It was a really old, brown, velvety 70’s robe of my dad’s that I recognized from our childhood.  Our dad called it the Huggy Bear robe.  I NOW know that Huggy Bear is the quintessential pimp from an “old” TV show called Starsky and Hutch.  The character was more recently portrayed by Snoop Dog in the 2004 movie version of the show.  That explains the look of the robe. Well, she challenged me to wear the robe to Plaid Pantry (a local 7-11 type shop) and make a purchase.  “NO WAAAY,” I said…but I did it.

So I timidly walk into little Plaid Pantry looking like Huggy Bear.  I see three people in the store:

1. Man behind the counter….doesn’t look up.

2. Another man, approximately age 25 in gum section…quick glance at me.

3. Famous Homeless Man, Moniker “Sasquatch” who is known for wearing duct tape trash bags and a gas mask at all times….gas mask turns in my direction and stares.

AAAAAAAAAH.  There could be a book on the homeless people of Seattle.  I’m still looking for “The Crying Lady” who cries to you and follows you until you give her money.  I digress.  So, now one of my favorite experiences to share with my visitors to Seattle is go out without a care about what you wear and see how it feels.  If you really want the full experience, wear something really “weird.”  I challenge you to get a stare.

What other places in the world are like this?  I bought a magnet in Portland, Oregon a while back that said, “Keep Portland Weird.”  The person who manufactured that puppy has obviously never been to Seattle.  It must be the cloudy weather up here…maybe people are harder to see?  What have you seen?

(photo of Seattle’s Gum Wall)