An Englishman in a Dollar Store Cowboy Hat

Do I pull it off, and does it matter?

This old hat, and this old author (photo by author)

I bought this Dollar Store cowboy hat during our first spring after moving to Rural Ontario. Mostly for a bit of a lark, a bit of “yee haw” down-home humour. The thing is, it’s the ideal hat for working outside. The brim covers the neck and ears as well as shading eyes.

Very quickly, I came to completely depend on this hat. I wore it all the time I was out working in the garden. I started to take it for granted that I’d be wearing it while outside.

The next summer, my aunt and uncle stopped by for a flying visit while I happened to be outside in the garden, working.