Several years passed. I became more and more confident that my toupee was not generally spottable. Again, looking back at my photos, what was I thinking! What I looked like was, a young guy in a very noticeable toupee. But I didn't know that, until...
There was a farmers market, or flea market, not too far from my apartment. It was housed in a long, low building, and was open on weekends. It consisted of independent booths from which were sold used goods of all kinds. One such booth contained used audio equipment, and was manned by two very sexy guys who I believe were in their early 20s. I was 27 at this point. The year was 1969, and these guys were hippie types, with VERY tight jeans, longish hair, etc. I had just purchased a new stereo set and decided to drive over to the farmers market to see if these guys (whom I had secretly admired on several previous browsings in the market) would be interested in buying my old equipment. I parked and went inside. I went to the booth and asked the guys if they would be interested in my equipment (no, no, I mean the STEREO equipment). They said they would come out and look at it, so I walked with them out to my car. They checked over my stuff and then walked away to discuss it. They were discussing it and as the came back over to me, they were laughing about something. As they approached, me, one them said to me, and I can still remember the words: "Sorry, man, we can't use this stuff, but we'll give you five bucks for your wig!". The two of them dissolved in laughter.
This was my first experience with what would come to occur from time to time right down to the present. My reaction then was pretty much what it has continued to be - I turned bright red, mumbled, "No, thanks", and left. And STILL I didn't get it. I entered a period of blissful denial that lasted almost 30 years! Denial that my toupee virtually screamed, "LOOK AT ME, I'M A TOUPEE". Denial that people were laughing behind my back, denial that I had, in fact, become ridiculous.
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