Last summer, I posted on Facebook something like, “When I’m mowing the lawn, why do the guys in my neighborhood think that I’m putting on some sort of show for them?”
A guy-friend later told me it “sounded like a bit of a humble-brag” to him, and as soon as he said that—of course it did. But that’s not at all what I meant.
I don’t mow the lawn in a bikini. I’m usually in my workout clothes, post-WOD, because what the hell, I’m already stinky—let’s do this thing. So I’m out there, dripping sweat, hair disheveled, wrestling with my gas-powered cheapo. It’s not sexy. It’s not attractive. It’s not graceful, or even out of the ordinary (this is 2013, right?—women do all kinds of crazy things, like work outside the home and stuff, right?). What I’m saying is I can’t imagine it’s nice or interesting in any way to watch.
And yet.
They hang their heads out their windows. They slow down. They stare. I’m some kind of zoo animal.
Yesterday a dude stopped his car and gawked at me.
I gave him my best stankface, and he shlooped his head back into his car and drove away. But part of me wanted to turn off the mower and pretend to fling poo at him.
A woman taking care of her business, not caring what she looks like or who sees her, not the slightest bit interested in what men think of her, NOT putting on a show for the men around her – that’s hot. Cause if nothing else – that kind of confidence is out of the ordinary.
It’s not confidence. I’m just mowing my lawn.
^^^ What he said.
You are very visually pleasing. Striking. As in strangers stopping the car and watching whatever it is you are doing. Which isn’t to say it is not UNNERVING to be on the receiving end of the watching. But you are lovely. Maybe think of it as neighborhood beautification.
I’m not saying I’m a troll all the time, but I’m pretty heinous while mowing the lawn. No beautification about it.
You are definitely what Kate and Dan said. But on a basic level it’s not polite for people to stare/gawk. And it’s far from a humble brag because it feels so fucking creepy.
Yes! Thank you! I wouldn’t look at goddamn Cirque du Soleil the way these guys stare.
They’re probably wondering why you’re wearing shoes and out of the kitchen.
One of your most endearing (and by endearing I mean frustrating) qualities has been your enduring refusal to accept that other people -especially men – get to decide what’s attractive to them, without regard for your opinion. This often results in the cognitive dissonance you experience when reality — that people find you attractive – conflicts with your opinion of your own attractiveness.
I’m not saying men should behave badly, what I’m saying is that their behavior doesn’t represent any great mystery of the universe to anyone other than yourself.