The other day a random man told me I looked mean. The whole brief encounter made me laugh.
First, what a completely off-the-wall comment to make to a stranger.
I’m just trying to drop off my recycling, dude.
Second, he yelled it at me as I was driving away which is also bizarre.
My windows were down and my music was going and I’m pulling out of the parking lot and this man yells something I can’t understand, so I stop and say, “What?”
I’m thinking I must have something stuck under my car, or the back hatch didn’t close all the way… You know, something significant enough to yell at a stranger as they are driving away.
No, nothing like that. He just wanted to tell me I looked really mean.
I guess when I got back in my car and started singing I didn’t look so scary anymore. And he thought: “She should know. Somebody should tell her that when she’s not smiling and singing, she looks mean, and I’m that Somebody. This is on me. I’ll relay this important message to this woman because clearly if she knew, she would be more careful so she doesn’t look so mean.”
I mean, I’m making a lot of assumptions about the thought process. I didn’t ask him about his motivations.
And I didn’t tell him that he looked pretty dumb, flagging down a random woman to tell her about his observation on her facial expressions. I kept that thought to myself. It’s such a neat ability to have… the ability to think something about someone else and not have to tell them about it.
Anyway, I drove off laughing because what the fuck and honestly, I’m kind of pleased with myself.
Because I’ve been consciously schooling my expression for a while now, teaching myself NOT to paste on a smile automatically, not to feel obligated to appear pleasant.
So I guess I’m getting pretty good.
Anyway, go forth! And be the intimidation you wish to see in the world.