A month or so ago I took the subway, as usual, from 72nd Street to Times Square. My usual companions in the car at that time are like me, unremarkable in the main; office workers, street vendors, cleaners and perhaps some tourists off to catch an early flight. If I oversleep then it is more likely that I will start to see those who work in the more creative industries and therefore a bit more New York City fashion flair.
However, this time was early and if the fashionistas were awake they were still trying to arrange their impossibly thin scarves into this season's neck sculpture. Yet when I boarded the train I saw him immediately.
A man was sitting in the train, wearing a dark suit (so far so normal) with a cardboard box on his head (not so much). It was an elaborate one to be sure - it had a pixelated face which matched the skin colour of his hands.
If this were London he would be ignored but this is America, New York admittedly so only just but still America. Surely someone would ask him why he was doing this? I was desperate to know and certain that a girl from Cleveland, a boy from San Antonio or a grandmother from Madison would do the decent thing and ask.
But perhaps it was too early or perhaps the British really have taken over. I kicked myself mentally all day for not being the one to ask. To this day I still do not know but I am resolved to never do this again.
I thought of this yesterday when we were in Central Park with our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans parent group. Towards the end we were joined by a college friend of one of the women. He was curious about the group so asked his friend:
"Gay and Lesbian parents? So did they all flip-flop like you?"
At first I was slightly taken aback but she didn't visibly mind at all and explained how diverse the group was. In fact we had many routes to parenthood represented there. Some indeed had children from previous straight relationships, some had adopted, some had used sperm donation and and a couple of us had children through surrogacy. There were 12 kids from the various families and they had such a lot of fun.
My initial reaction was that 'flip flop' was too belittling a term, especially here in US politics where it is used to mean the abandonment of previously, strongly held beliefs (see Willard Mittens Romney). But I'm glad he asked because it gave the opportunity to answer and it was the answer that framed a perfect day.
However, this time was early and if the fashionistas were awake they were still trying to arrange their impossibly thin scarves into this season's neck sculpture. Yet when I boarded the train I saw him immediately.
A man was sitting in the train, wearing a dark suit (so far so normal) with a cardboard box on his head (not so much). It was an elaborate one to be sure - it had a pixelated face which matched the skin colour of his hands.
If this were London he would be ignored but this is America, New York admittedly so only just but still America. Surely someone would ask him why he was doing this? I was desperate to know and certain that a girl from Cleveland, a boy from San Antonio or a grandmother from Madison would do the decent thing and ask.
But perhaps it was too early or perhaps the British really have taken over. I kicked myself mentally all day for not being the one to ask. To this day I still do not know but I am resolved to never do this again.
I thought of this yesterday when we were in Central Park with our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans parent group. Towards the end we were joined by a college friend of one of the women. He was curious about the group so asked his friend:
"Gay and Lesbian parents? So did they all flip-flop like you?"
At first I was slightly taken aback but she didn't visibly mind at all and explained how diverse the group was. In fact we had many routes to parenthood represented there. Some indeed had children from previous straight relationships, some had adopted, some had used sperm donation and and a couple of us had children through surrogacy. There were 12 kids from the various families and they had such a lot of fun.
My initial reaction was that 'flip flop' was too belittling a term, especially here in US politics where it is used to mean the abandonment of previously, strongly held beliefs (see Willard Mittens Romney). But I'm glad he asked because it gave the opportunity to answer and it was the answer that framed a perfect day.
