The Hat

Illustration by O. Douglas Jennings. © 2020

"Why are you wearing THAT?!", exclaimed Augusten, half smirking but sincerely somewhat bemused, after exchanging greetings as we both stood in the entry way of his house. I had just dropped off my daughter to baby sit his 4 year-old twins. He was referring to my baseball cap which sported the company logo of a place Augusten and I both worked a few years ago and where we had met. Augusten was employed there as an engineer while I labored in the marketing department as a graphic artist. That's where we met and, because we live close to one another, we would car-pool.

"I'm wearing it because I designed the logo. It's the racing car version. Remember?"

"Oh. I guess it's ok then", he demurred. But added, "After what they did to us, I wouldn't want anything to do with that place."

Augusten Burton, his wife Penny and their two adorable kids have remained friends with me and my family for a few years now. Mainly because my daughter, Melody, has been the baby sitter for their kids, Ian and Gwen since they were infants. Penny is a life coach and Augusten works as an engineer for a different manufacturer since we were both layed off from the company where we both worked a little over 3 years ago.  The Burton's were an Uber-couple. In their 30s, tall, blond and attractive, they compete in Triathelons around the country as a hobby. But they are as friendly and down-to-earth as anyone. We rarely get to hang out that much these days but they are great fun.

Augusten's comment about my hat, is “touchy” connection to our past place of employment I had forgotten about. For Augusten that day, it brought back the memories of the hard termination we both had from working there. Augusten had it worse because his supervisor gave him no warning. At least my manager was nice enough to give me a heads up about the slate of layoffs and even let me use the office computer to look for other jobs. But Augusten was let go just as Penny was about to give birth to the twins. I don't know how they were able to piece together some insurance coverage for all the hospital bills at the time but I remember it was traumatic for them.

Nevertheless, I retained some pleasant memories from the three years I had worked there. I enjoyed the design projects I was assigned. And I made a lot of friends there.

But now the racing logo hat that I had helped design is one of my only reminders. It's become my favorite "mowing hat". My wife has me keep it in the laundry room. "It gets too stinky from your sweat. So you'll need to wash it regularly", she exhorts.

I just have to remember NOT to wear again if I'm going to visit Augusten.