Carol--Kansas

When I went through the door, there she was, greeting people. I've seen her there before in a few other hats, but never had a chance to take her picture. But last Saturday morning I turned right around, went back to the pickup for my camera.

"Oh, I love hats," she said. "Got all kinds of 'em. I even make my own for special occasions like Valentine's and St. Patrick's."

Carol had on all kinds of green stuff. Hat, beads, jacket--a lot of stuff. But her hat, made with her own hands, was the best of all.

Cat in the Hats--Kansas

Now here's a cat that would inspire the poetry in all of us. Except Dr. Seuss did it first.

The Mayor's Granddaughter--Arizona

While we were in Arizona at my high school reunion, we were introduced to Mayor Gomez, his wife and their granddaughter. This picture is a magazine cover, is it not?

The Mayor’s Granddaughter was not feeling well that day, after some days with the flu, but she managed this delicious smile for us, and now all of us are feeling better. If it wasn't for her hat, this picture may not have been so terrific.

Or maybe it's those eyes. Or that smile. Whatever: she's a glamorous little model!

Don—Kansas

Don’s a new friend. We were busy together recently serving Angel Food groceries to people with low food budgets.

“I like your cool hat, sir,” I told him.

“Well, my son-in-law serves on this ship,” he pointed out. “He sends me all kinds of stuff. I like this hat best.”

I managed to find the time to take his picture.

If you can't make out what the hat says, it's from the USS Ronald Reagan.

Loretta--Kansas

One day last summer, 80-year-old Loretta saw us as we were about to leave that Assisted Living Center. No, she was not panhandling. She waved us down because she loves My First Wife. So they talked through the car window till it started raining a little. "Ooooh, I gotta get in!" she screamed.

"Here, take the world's best umbrella," I offered, and plunked my hat on her head.

"Well, thank you, sir. Heh-heh," she said and kept on talking. I had plenty of time to take her picture.

I walked her indoors. By the time I got my hat back, my hair was all wet.

Dorene--Kansas

Turns out that Dorene and I are relatively close neighbors. She and I were pawing through a stack of Christmas cards the other day, each trying to find the perfect box. We spoke a little at each other a time or two, when finally I could contain myself no longer.

"I like your hat," I said.

She turned softly toward me, the way a Princess turns to acknowledge someone. "Do you really?" she replied.

"Yes, ma'am. Do you wear hats a lot?"

"Not really," she replied. "But you know, with this wet, rainy weather—[pause]—and I'm in and out shopping today—its just so much easier than an umbrella."

"Well, I like it," I told her. I explained my blog and gave her one of my cards.

She leaned toward me and, out of the side of her mouth, quietly asked, "Where's your camera?"

"Out in the car. Hold on, I'll go get it." And out into the cold I went for it.

"You're serious about this aren't you," she said when I came back. "What will your wife say?"


For the record, My Wife thinks this is a "cool" picture.

Di--Kansas

You meet the nicest and most enthusiastic people when you're out walking. Just as I finished the last long walk of my season (Nov 3), here came Di and her companion, just getting ready for a walk. Well, would you look at her hat?

Naturally, I chased them down and asked for a picture. She graciously said, "I'd like that." Di was a charm! Pretty as a princess and as friendly as can be. And it's all in her eyes. After I took the picture, I gave her my card (it has my blog URL on it) and invited her to take a look at the other folks. You know what she said?

"I'll do that. And I'll pray for every one of them, too."

I'm just sure there will be hats in heaven.

Alex--Missouri

Last summer, just a day or two before school started, I walked past Alex and some friends who were busy in some hot, noontime skateboarding. On my next lap around the park, I stopped and asked if I could take pictures. The others were a little shy, but Alex said, “Well, if you want a picture of someone messing up all the time, I’m the one.”

“Do you wear that hat all the time?” I asked. “It’s pretty nice.”

“Yeah. Mostly.”

It's an expensive cap with all the NFL team logos on it.

Actually, she pretty good on a skateboard. She’s unafraid, she’s fast and she can do several skillful things. She's better on that thin little rolling board than I am with my camera. I couldn't catch her in the air.

My Fair Lady—England

My First Wife and I recently attended the play, “My Fair Lady.” What a performance! That play is full of wonderful hats! Better yet, it's full of wonderful junior high and high school students who performed it. They played in the orchestra, too, and did all the stage work, and—oh, we’re proud of those kids. All of them.

These are not the best photos because I took them—without flash!—from the back of their small auditorium. Nevertheless, we’re proud of these hats…er, kids!

Eliza Doolittle and Col. Pickering

Freddie Eynsford-Hill, Eliza Doolittle, and the Colonel again.

The Ascot “crowd.” Look at those hats!

And the young man, third from the right, is our grandson. Uh-oh. Now you know why we went to the play. But really: you shoulda been there.

Mill Creek Trail--Kansas

When you go out walking on one of Eastern Kansas' many trails, you meet the neatest folks. Like this hatted family that was out being a family together. Bless 'em.



And then this Mommy was carefully leading her girls across the road and on up the trail. All three of them smiled at me and said, "Hi." Bless 'em, too.

Eric and Steve--Missouri

Ever seen policemen filling their motorcycle gas tanks in a public gas station? Well, I pulled into a gas station the other day and two of them pulled in next to me. Eric and Steve. Steve's the one filling his gas tank.

They're really not policemen; they're rent-a-cops and were on their way to escort a funeral procession. I talked to Eric a minute. He said they're both proud of their jobs--and their hats.

Dean—Kansas

I met Dean one evening about four years ago when I was out walking. Since then, we’ve run across each other several times and developed a fine friendship. I suppose I’ve seen him a ka-jillion times out on one sidewalk or another, and I’ve never seen him without his hat, without a smile or without his little dog, Lucky. We always pause for a “…how ya’ doin’?” chat.

Once I saw him driving away from the grocery store. I didn’t know he could drive a car, because he has MS or MD; I can never remember which. That doesn’t keep him from doing what he enjoys: walking Lucky two or three times a day. Dean and Lucky will stay out about a half an hour at a time or until Lucky gets tired. Then he jumps up onto Dean’s scooter for the long ride home. Lucky is blind.

What a world we live in! Lucky can't see, Dean can't walk; but they can go around the block together! Dean and Lucky make life inspirational for the rest of us, don't they?

Lyph and Vince--Missouri

Pictures are worth how many words? Father-son pictures like this don't come along very often. Vince is giving his son Lyph his first fishing lesson. And fishin' ain't fishin' without a hat, right?

Brandon--All Over

One hot afternoon recently I was exiting from the freeway and saw a man down by the stop sign. He hurried across the street in a pretty nifty hat. I had to drive a half a mile before I could turn around and look for him. I found him, too, up under the freeway, sitting in the shade.

I parked and ran across traffic and climbed up there with him. I asked if I could take his picture. "Sure, go ahead," he said. I have such a good new camera that he never knew when I tripped the shutter. "I just came up here for a little rest and a cigarette."

We talked for about 10 minutes. He told me he was from "All over!" He had walked from Belton, Missouri, to this spot since 7 a.m. That was about 8 hours and 14 miles ago, and "I've still got 12 miles to go." He was on his way to "...see about gettin' a job down on Front Street."

The best part of our whole meeting was, "I sure do appreciate you stopping and talking with me. Nobody ever does that. Thanks a lot, man. A picture of my hat, huh? I've had it for two years. Worn it everywhere." I got blessed by this homeless and sunburned young man and I hope I see him again someday.

Matthew--Kansas

Matthew was in line ahead of me at the supermarket deli. Lunchtime. I asked if I could take his picture and he said, “Sure.” He called his hat a “Tam O’Shanter, but without the button up here in the middle.” I thought it was a beret, but he knows better than I.

“Do you wear it a lot?” I asked.

“All the time! I used to have a wool one, but I wore it out, so I just got this a little while ago.”

We talked some more while we waited for our orders. Lo and behold! We work in the same industry; we used to work in the same building; and we have a couple of mutual friends. They don’t wear hats, though.

Vicki--Missouri

Vicki and her retired friends faithfully play tennis every weekday from 10 till noon in one of the prettiest neighborhood parks around. Vicki is the ringleader. Actually, they let anybody play—retired or not. One of the friendliest people I ever ran across, Vicki never met anyone she didn't like. Her smile and her face define her: lots of character; lots of integrity; lots of friendliness, lots of "vim and vinegar." Her visor defines her morning activities. (July 2007).

Alvan--Kansas

You meet the neatest people in the mall. I spotted Alvan one Saturday morning and asked if I could take his picture. He didn’t seem to understand and so I found his adult daughter and asked her. Well, no wonder he didn’t understand: he wears a Cochlear implant. I guess I didn’t make myself clear. Alvan also has damaged legs, which explains his wheel chair. He’s awfully proud of his hat. “My daughter gave it to me,” he finally said. Then he posed with that pleasant smile. (July 2007)

Rosemary--In the Park

Rosemary is 16 months old and is already a "big sister." I met this little darling when I was walking through a city park. Her dad said I could take her picture, but she didn't want to have anything to do with me. (Don't talk to strangers?) And she wanted to protect her patriotic ball. I asked her dad about her hat. He said, "She just likes to wear it."



And this is her dad trying to coax Rosemary to come a little closer. He wears some kind of hat/cap on his head all the time, too. (July 2007)