A horrible hat experience.

[IsabellaPrice]

Out of all the hats I own, the one most dear to my heart has to be the brown fedora that I posted pictures of when I joined. A few weeks ago, I experienced the most disrespectful action toward a hat I have ever witnessed in my life. I'm in a ceramics class in high school in the morning and the class has a tiny hat rack made for baseball caps. My fedora doesn't fit on it, so I usually place my bag and leather coat on a box that's on the floor behind my desk and place my fedora brim-down on top of my coat. This day inparticular I finished my sculpture early, so I decided to be a good samaritan and clean all the paint brushes (everyone puts them back with paint on them) for my teacher. While I was up, someone knocked my coat and hat on the floor and didn't even BOTHER to pick them up. When it got close to the end of class, everyone started getting up to put their clay and all in their lockers and EVERY single person who passed by my desk STEPPED ON my hat (and coat). When I got back to my desk I found my poor hat under my chair with the crown smashed and the brim bent all weird COVERED in clay dust and dirt. I was absolutely furious. I never talk to anyone in that class, and I flipped out and started screaming at them about how disrespectful they are. I ended up intentionally missing my geometry class because I refused to leave ceramics until I fixed my hat. Luckily my hat turned out fine after I cleaned it and rebashed it.

Has anyone had an experience where someone either damaged or mishandled your hat?

 

[J.T.Marcus]

Has anyone had an experience where someone either damaged or mishandled your hat?

Not since I was in high school. That may be of little comfort, now, but some things do get better.

 

[ScionPI2005]

Not since I was in high school. That may be of little comfort, now, but some things do get better.

I echo that comment. High school was 4 years ago for me, and I experienced similar things. I believe my fedora fell on the floor a couple of times, and may have been stepped on; though not surely to the extent yours was.

An unfortunate event. Glad you were able to clean your hat up.

 

[David Ward]

Glad to hear that the hat survived. As the gentleman before me observed, things will get better and that kind of silliness will be long behind you!

 

[univibe88]

Who ever said that high school is the best years of your life was out of their mind!

 

[carouselvic]

I'm glad to hear that your hat is ok, as for high school, for me it was the best seven years of my life.

 

[Bird's One View]

Welcome to high school.

 

[ScionPI2005]

Who ever said that high school is the best years of your life was out of their mind!

Heck, after middle school and high school, life is easy!

 

[MAB1]

No wonder I hate high school reunions.

Keep your hat on your head and carry a big stick.

 

[HungaryTom]

I think you are being mobbed

This is ugly.
Seek help and try to confront those who did it.

 

[mufflowne]

Highschool were the most boring years of my life. I ponder at how stupid majority of the people were. They aren't evil, they're just less intelligent and don't know how to behave. And then in 20 years when they grow up to be old enough to know they were being stupid, they will be ashamed. Hopefully. Assuming they'll mature to the level of intelligence you have at this point.

I've never met an unintelligent person wearing a fedora...go figure.

 

[johnnyphi]

the hat can be replaced...

what style is it? i've got a few fixer-uppers in your size.

let me know.

 

[HDRnR]

Back in my day the person that stepped on my hat would have gotten a fat lip, unless it was an accident of course.

 

[BegintheBeguine]

High-schoolers don't like girls who are talented, nice, different, tasteful.
If you get in trouble for missing your geometry class get the vice-principal of your school to stick up for you, as you have a right to your property being treated respectfully.
Only a few more weeks to suffer through. Hang in there, kid.

 

[John in Covina]

The cruelty of youth is not abated until some sembalence of maturity is achieved. I have seen acts of cruelty at college that makes high schoolers seem like toddlers. Here in the US where youth is so prized, wisdom scorned and adults do not see growing up as a viable choice, that type of cruelty can exist much longer than what we care to acknowledge.

People are like sheep in their worst moments, here an entire class of students chose to step on your possesions. The psycology of people in groups often bringas forth the worst because they feel strength in numbers and the bigger the group the greater the excuse for even greater bad behavior.

One thing to remember is people hate to have the light of day or the light of truth shined on their bad behavior, but someone has to hold them accountable for their actions, as bad behavior tends to grow in it outrageousness if unchecked.

People hate anyone different at a basic level and i'll bet they'd blame you for being different and having to be so special. Students are the worst at claiming non-conformaty but are truly total conformasts.

Sometimes people in your position learn to be a comedian, quick with jokes to disarm the situation. Or you can become a martial arts master and crush them using one finger so they live in fear of you. I think it is better to have friends though so comedy is the better route.

Tough to be different but better to be you.

If possible get a couple of hat & coat hanger hooks if it is possible to mount to the wall there and put them up for your stuff.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

I recall the mental and sometimes physical cruelty of some immautre creeps in high school. It is not an experience I would want to re-live, at least not with what I know now -- I'd really get into trouble.

Glad your hat is OK. Just bear with it.

I once had someone knock a hat off my head on a public street -- and, of course, it was some teenage boy who did it.

karol

 

[Colby Jack]

I say bring back:
1. Prayer in school
2.The pledge and the national anthem
3.Paddling...

That should solve the problems...:eusa_clap

Glad your hat made it through the battle...

 

[K.D. Lightner]

I lived at a time when we were forced to either pray or spend a moment of silence in school, also when we pledged the flag -- kids were just as mean and cruel and nasty then as they are now.

Maybe the paddling would do it.

karol

 

[Colby Jack]

True...kids were always mean...but now there's no repercussions for doing anything wrong...So yes...Bring back the paddle!

 

[Woodfluter]

Dear Isabella,

I'm so sorry that this kind of thoughtless behavior hasn't improved in the 43 years since I left high school. But I remember very vividly how I felt, how you must feel. My sincere condolences.

No, pledges of allegience or prayer won't change that sort of thoughtless behavior. Nobody takes any of that stuff seriously. Rather, it goes back to something far more fundamental. Some things can't be taught, but others surely can, as I have learnt through experience with people of many cultures. I've become convinced that the only teaching that counts for anything at all is through example. Your classmates never had parents or other elders that went out of their way to show in an exemplary way how they responded to an item belonging to someone else that might have value or touch on their feelings.

Please don't give in to anger. It won't help. I encourage you to forgive them, consign their behavior to ignorance, become aware that you live in a world of people who are largely foolish but not malicious, and find creative ways to protect that which is yours. Don't be afraid to use intimidation and to stand up for your rights when that helps, but please don't take it personally. It is about as personal, and as conscious, as a tree branch falling on your hat.

And with the passage of time, you will find many better people.

Best wishes, truly,
- Bill