February 27, 2007
My pink toes
Years back someone forwarded an email listing the “things your mama said and should have listened to.” In the middle of the list was this rule: Make sure you wear clean underwear in the event you wind up having sex with someone. I am paraphrasing but essentially that was the gist of that particular survival tool. I thought it was funny. Plus, you and I know it makes hygienic sense.
I have found a parallel to the embarrassment of being caught with pants down, dirty underclothes exposed. To that list I add: Avoid wearing socks that may put you in an awkward moment before government security officers.
Two weeks ago I was at the Capitol to attend a pre-hearing event on a re-introduced veterans equity bill, braving the icy weather and long commute. The objective before the leaving the house was simple: keep myself warm, really, really warm. I wore knee-high toe socks for my heeled black boots. The socks have a hint of pink on it. Okay, more than a hint.
Socks that should not have been worn for public inspection.
Two hours later I was standing in line to get inside the Cannon House where members of the House of Representatives hold office. My feet were warm and I felt good, excited in fact to be doing field work again. One of the inspection officers, who looked like he could swallow me whole, motioned me to move through the security scanner. A beep went off. I thought to myself, “Oh dear, this is not good.” And then the dreaded order:
“Take your shoes off.”
When you’re in front of these officers, there is no room for hesitation. I quickly unzipped my boots and basked in that moment of shame, striped blue and pink toe socks and all. I passed the scanner test the second try and I valiantly put on my shoes and walked into the building. I also silently cussed the silver studs on my boots.
My day was only redeemed by the conversations I had with Filipino community leaders lobbying for the bill and the amusement on the husband’s face when I told him what had happened. He warned me about me the pink socks. I should have listened. I could afford to laugh at myself now. Darn, that was shameful. Shamefully funny.
Sa bisaya pa, gi-ahak.
At the House of Representatives' Cannon House where I met Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba (ret) of the US Army. He is known as the Fil-Am general who exposed the Abu Ghraib prison abuses in Iraq in 2004.