The Man in the Hat

It’s not very common, but he wears a hat. It’s not a baseball cap or anything like that, it’s a bowler hat and he wears it proudly almost every day. He’s developed something of a “look” around the hat. Although he’d probably cringe at the phrase. People recognise him by it, friends and strangers, mostly everyone he comes across on a regular or semi-regular basis. Along with the hat he’s most often dressed in a suit as well. He has his suits tailored rather than buying off the rack. It’s an expense that’s probably a little bit beyond his means but he makes sacrifices in other areas and manages to get by. He considers dress to be important, the measure of a man.

On this day it happens to be raining so he carries his umbrella with him. It’s black with a wooden handle, spring loaded so it will open itself at the press of the button. His suit is a three piece today so he’s also wearing a tie. It’s odd that he doesn’t always wear a tie but he feels that it’s the outer layer of the suit and shoes and hat that are most important. A tie is nice, if warranted. But before he buttons on a waistcoat he usually ties a tie around his neck first. A modest half Windsor knot, noting to big or too skinny, fashion neutral is his motto.

Fully decked out he makes his way around town, sheltering from the rain as he stops at his favourite coffee house on his way to work. Coffee house is the expression that he prefers, why he can’t just say café is beyond his friends. He chats politely and engagingly with the barista as he waits, then out the door to carry on his way. Pressing the button by the handle he opens the umbrella and strides his way to the office. Colleagues are always impressed that he walks so much, even in the rain. And it’s weird how he manages to stay almost completely dry despite the downpour they can hear hammering the windows and the roof.

Once he’s at his desk he gets busy for the day. No one’s really sure what he does, when asked he can be a bit vague himself, not because he’s trying to be obtuse but it’s just that he isn’t quite sure how to best explain what he does. But aside from the uncertainty around job description, everyone agrees that he does a good job. People enjoy working with him, he gets things done and he’s pleasant about it. He brings a bit of cheer to the office as well. He doesn’t crave for attention and he doesn’t hog the limelight but the metaphorical party always seems a bit more alive when he’s around. People like him.

When he’s done for the day he’ll head home with that same purposeful walk he started the day with. Maybe, on a Friday he might stop at the bar and have a drink with his friends. During the week he’s more likely just to head home, listen to some music and read late into the evening. He doesn’t bother his neighbours although he’s always up for a chat if he sees them. It’s rumoured that on the weekends he’ll exercise. Nobody can actually confirm having seen him doing it though. You can’t go running in a suit and hat. But maybe they just wouldn’t recognise him without it. He isn’t a man jogging in a park or riding near the water’s edge, he’s a man in a hat.