I think I’m invisible!
It started with the ears and has jumped to the rest of me. When my kids were little, they ignored me. Now that they’re grown, they are more polite about it, but mostly they don’t heed my warnings. When I taught school, my students ignored me (you know who you are!). It was like they were 100% deaf or that I was 100% mute.
I first suspected that I was invisible in my 40s because car dealers had no idea that I was present. I’d ask a question and the car salesman would answer, as if my husband had asked it. They would pay no heed to my presence, until I pulled out the checkbook to write the check for the car.
In my 50’s, it was repairmen. I would call, make the appointment, meet them at the front door, and tell them what was wrong. They, in turn, would say, “Is your husband available?” and would give him details that he didn’t know or care about.
When I hit my 60’s and the hair faded, store clerks didn’t see me patiently standing in line to buy their wares. Restaurants servers appeared to have no idea I was waiting. After other guests seated in my vicinity were acknowledged and served, only then did they approach me
I appear to have substance when I look in the mirror, but maybe it’s my imagination.
Yesterday, though, while driving, someone gave me the finger. I was so excited…I was seen, not invisible! Unfortunately, I do not know why the someone decided to acknowledge my presence, as I wasn’t near his vehicle; I was in a different lane, two car lengths behind him. Maybe he didn’t like my car. At any rate, I felt validated. Maybe I’m not invisible after all.
