Let me take you back to Friday night. It had been a long week for both of us, and the Mrs. and I decided to blow off some steam. We ate at a beautiful log cabin restaurant and then we went over to a small local bar. I'm not one for the bar scene, but it was karoke night, and some of her co-workers and friends would be there, so we went to meet up with them. It was a typical small bar.
While we were there, she saw a man she had gone to school with. He was busy talking to other folks, so I figured it would just be a "sighting."
He actually came over a little while later. He greeted and hugged her, and he even hugged me as we were introduced.
This is where it gets good. As I was being introduced, she said, "You've probably heard about her." To which he said, "yeah."
Yeah.
Yeah?
Yeah!
Lovely. Just freakin' lovely. We often joke about how I need to get a tee-shirt that says, "I'm the girl from Vegas who..." The sad part is, that's how I'm known around here.
This is why I prefer larger metropolises. There's anonymity. You don't have a label before you have a name.
I've already had some rather "interesting" welcomes to the area, most of which were not warm. They don't know a thing about me. They just know one tiny piece to a VERY large puzzle and they assume based on that one tiny piece.
Here's the thing about me: I pride myself on my diversity. I love the fact that I am multifaceted. I also LOATHE prejudice, discrimination, ignorance and assumptions. I was a co-president of my high school's anti-bias committee. Yeah, I hate hate that much.
So, this man, not meaning to, REALLY got under my skin. It's not his fault that the locals are talking. It's not his fault that I am the new face around town. He has no control over what he hears. It's local gossip. But it bothers me to no end.
Now mind you, he was very polite and cordial. We had a very pleasant conversation, so I do not hold him at fault in any way. I'm just bothered by the fact that people are saying and assuming things about me when they may not even know my name. Ugh.
So here it is folks: the run-down on yours truly.
Yes, I came here from Vegas, but that is not where I am originally from.
Yes we met out there, but I did not "corrupt" her as so many of you like to think.
I am a writer, not a free-loader.
No, I am not here just to make a political statement (I was seriously asked if that was my only purpose to moving to this locale. Amazing what people assume, isn't it?).
No, I am not the anti-Christ.
I am just a woman trying to live her own life.
There is tremendous depth to me, far more than you may ever know.
Before you start talking about me like I'm a thing (say a hurricane or tornado), why don't you ask my name first.
It's Lauren, by the way.
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