Geek in Preppy Clothing

Regardless how my brother tries to pick on me, I never dressed or looked the part of the stereotypical geek or nerd. At least not when I was younger.

In my teenage years, my clothes were fashionable (for the times — 1980s), and I was slim and not too socially awkward (no more so than normal for a teenager). I was a little on the shy side, but I talked to girls and had the occasional date. I wasn’t a Casanova by any means, but I wasn’t the socially retarded D&D geek that most people picture and comedies like to play up.

I fooled around with computers, I read comic books, and I played Dungeons & Dragons. But I also regularly hung out at the mall, went to the local teen-club, and had a date for four (that’s 1-2-3-4!) high school proms. And some of my geek-friends were similarly “hip” in our teenage world.

Now, some of my comrades in geekdom did fit the physical and social image of high school nerd. But they were my friends and their nerdiness didn’t even register with me. Even though some of us (myself included) were never part of the “in” crowd at school, I never heard anyone call them or me or us geeks, nerds, or dorks.

As for my brother’s ribbing about wearing cloaks and pocket protectors, none of my geek friends ever wore any fantasy/sci-fi costumery outside of Halloween. Although I can remember at least one who did have a pocket protector, but he’s probably making more money now than me and my brother added together.

Nowadays, my look is a result of being a family man with no time to shop for new clothes. My current style is more “dad” than “dork.” Unfortunately, to the untrained eye, there isn’t much difference.

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com