In between errands I perched myself on a bench in Union Square. If you've ever been to San Francisco you know it's the hub of the city, teeming with both tourists and locals. It's a great place to take a shopping break or nurse a latte. For me, it wins any and all awards as the best place to examine variations in the gene pool -- otherwise known as people watching.
At the risk of sounding utterly simplistic, humans do indeed come in all shapes and sizes -- a real salmagundi. A real what? OK, OK, I have to confess I've loved that word forever and, frankly, find it difficult to work into a conversation. So let me show off just this once. Salmagundi is of French derivation meaning a medley or mixture.
Did I learn it in French class? Hardly. In French 101, we were always entering the class, opening the windows and asking what our fellow students called themselves. Salmagundi was the name of a deli I frequented during the 70's mainly because I loved the name.
But I digress. Back to Union Square. Body types? Some could pose for Reuben, some for Picasso. Some would do well on the basketball court, others should look into checkers. Hair colors that match no shade in the natural world. Flat bellies. Round bellies. Really round bellies. If it's an assortment you want, we humans certainly have it.
But can you guess what one clothing item more than half had in common? Flip-flops.
I wore flip-flops as protection from whatever disgusting fungus thrived in our high school locker room. I have a hard time shifting those little rubber soles from the mental category of shower sandal to fashion statement. Perhaps a few more visits to Union Square will help.
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