Some Kind of Fashion

Some Hong Kongers have a penchant for wearing plastic bags over their heads when it rains.

Not content with an umbrella, they meander through the streets with bags turned inside-out, inverted and yanked down around their ears. They look ridiculous, but I can't blame them for not wanting to carry an umbrella. I've become convinced that despite their widespread usage, most people have no idea how to handle them.

Countless times I've been poked, bumped, flicked or otherwise dribbled on by those unsophisticated enough to understand the concept of safe deployment of a bumbershoot in public.

Yes, I said bumbershoot. Get over it.

Then there is the low overhead of hanging signs. It's damned near impossible to navigate the sidewalk without the top of my umbrella slamming into these protrusions, resulting in a shower of cold droplets down my back and the inevitable muttered curses that follow. I could stoop or hunch to try to avoid these obstacles, but I shouldn't have to. I'm trying to improve my posture, not make it worse.

Being a clean head has one distinct advantage: If it begins to rain and I'm caught without my umbrella, I don't have to suffer the indignity of wearing a grocery store bag to protect my lid.

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