Elf On a Bus
It might come as a surprise to some of you, but I have a sense of humor – and I don’t mind showing it. Yes, I understand it can be uncomfortable, especially for deacons and seminary professors, and hard to understand, but humor is a gift from God.
Therefore, I hope it does not shock you to see me dressed as a green-haired elf. Before I drove my afternoon route, I put on a wig and vest I bought at Target, along with the little red collars we had on our dogs. Needless to say, I got more than a few looks.
Different Reactions
As you can imagine, a lot of people, especially little children, got a kick out of my outfit. But some of the reactions sorta surprised me.
The elementary-age children acted pretty much the way I expected.
- “Why are you dressed like a clown?”
I’m not a clown…I’m an elf! - “Why don’t you have pointy ears?”
- “Where are your shoes?”
What do you mean? These are my shoes! - “Can I touch your hair?”
Why? Do I ever ask to touch your hair?
Adults were a mixed bag.
- “I like your vest,” said a lady at the McDonald’s drive-through.
- “Did you make that?” I asked, “Is that a positive or a negative?”
But it was the teenagers that really amazed me. They epitomized our multi-cultural, politically correct society by never saying a single word. They said nothing.
As a matter of fact, most would only glance in my direction, trying not to be noticed.
Fearful Acceptance
There used to be a day when a green-haired, red-cuffed individual would be stopped by the police. There used to be a day when kids would laugh at a person dressed the way I was. There used to be a day when grown men and women would simply ask, “What in the world are you doing dressing like a fool this early in December?”
Now-a-days, strange is normal. And what is worse, society has made every one so afraid of saying anything that no one will say what most people think: “You look like an idiot!” Free speech has been silenced in the face of weird.
Sad, isn’t it.
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