I'm sorry; was it something I wore?

Tue 18 May 2010 Filed in: Photos | My Life
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One of the more unusual stops on my trip last month was the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office. My brother wanted to stop there to visit the gift shop. Yes, this IS the truth; the LA County Coroner’s office actually has a gift shop. I have to admit that once I figured out that my brother was not kidding, I was curious about what, exactly, they might be selling there. Their most popular item, the one my brother was looking for, is a beach towel with the outline of a body on it, but they have a number of other items as well. Proceeds from the store support a program aimed at youthful drunk drivers.

The beach towels were out of stock, but since it seemed to be a worthy cause, I picked up a couple of shirts, planning to use one as a work-out t-shirt. I wasn’t sure what the reaction might be when I showed up at the gym in a shirt advertising the Los Angeles County Coroner, but last week I found out. It’s a pretty mellow group at the gym, and other than a couple of odd looks, there really wasn’t any reaction, at least not until an elderly gentlemen stepped onto the treadmill next to me. He greeted me, put his towel down, and pulled out his ipod. Then he read my shirt. And without saying a word, he picked up his towel and ipod, and moved two treadmills away.

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Few people, particularly those who exercise, want to be reminded of death. I wore the shirt again yesterday and went for a walk along the Cedar River where fellow walkers habitually greet each other as they go by. Yesterday the folks I passed were unusually silent. It turns out I have a people-repelling shirt. I wonder if it will work with the guys who ring my doorbell at dinner time to try and sell me Penguin windows. I think I’ll try it.