Go To Work Like A Pirate Day

(At the beginning of October, we got permission from the store owners to wear costumes on Halloween. Halloween is my favorite holiday so I go all-out and sew myself an elaborate pirate costume including a wide-brimmed hat decorated with a large dyed-red ostrich plume. Needless to say, my coworkers are impressed.)

Coworker #1: *touching my coat sleeve* Oh, my god, is that velvet?!

Me: *grinning* “It sure is. I got it on sale, too, or I would have used velveteen because it’s much cheaper.” *I point at my shirt* “And I made this from a twin-sized bed sheet that I caught on sale. It’s the same type of fabric I needed but it was much cheaper this way.”

Coworker #2: *pointing at the purse at my waist* “Did you make that, too? It looks really neat.”

Me: *nodding* “I had to have something to carry my money and cell phone and a modern purse just wouldn’t look good.”

Coworker #1: “Okay, but can we just talk about how awesome your hat is?” *she reaches for it then hesitates* “Can I get a closer look at it?”

Me: “Sure.”

(I pull off my hat and she and Coworker #2 look it over, murmuring to each other how amazing it is that my stitches are so straight and that it looks professionally made.)

Coworker #2: *pointing at my head* “Did you make that bandana, too?!”

Me: *even bigger grin* “Yes, I did! I couldn’t find one that I liked so I pulled some fabric from my stash box and made it last minute. It keeps the wool hat from making my hair all static-y and crazy.”

Coworker #1: “Okay, [Coworker #2], I know you’re about to clock out and are getting ready to leave but I’ve just got to have a picture of her costume, so please do me a big favor and cover the register for her.” *she holds up a digital camera* “I brought this to take pictures of my friends and family’s kids when they came in but you look awesome.”

(Coworker #1 then proceeded to take several pictures of me from different angles, with and without my hat. That was three years ago and she still has those pictures saved to her computer in an album of Halloween photos.)