Wackyfish

I had this great hat!
I got it from the Dharma Trading Company before I left and it has been one of the best things I brought with me. Mo calls it my Magic Hat because she says that I think it magically shades my whole body from the sun (as opposed to just shading my head, as most non-magic hats do). To which I always respond with “It is and It does”. Hence the Magic Hat.
It has sort of become my trademark look around town. Whenever my bus drivers see my hat they know it’s me and they always stop. People passing in cards who know me, see my hat and honk hello. Back in my training village all the villagers knew I was the Peace Corps who wore the big hat. I look good in the hat, people know me by my hat, I love that silly hat.
So you can see why the following is mildly traumatic at least and a huge tragedy at most.

Last Saturday as we were getting ready to check out of the resort in Rarotonga I put my magic hat down (along with a lavalava and my purse) on a dresser in my parents room. Mo saw me put my hat down and saw my hat sitting on the dresser after I put it down. I then went to help my dad load the car (walking away from my hat and stuff). Mo and mom were in the room most of the whole time packing. After the car was packed I came back into the room and put on my purse. I then took my lavalava and rolled it up and put it in my bag. I grabbed for my magic hat and… it was gone. Not yet ready to panic I re-traced my steps from my room to my parents room in case I had dropped it along the way (although I distinctly remember putting it down on the dresser, I could have been wrong, you never know.) When I didn’t find it I asked Mom, Dad and Mo if they had picked it up and packed it. All three said no and that they had just seen it on the dresser. So I looked behind the dresser, in the dresser, around the dresser. No hat. My father checked the laundry bins outside his room just in case one of the maids (who had shown up by now) had thrown it in with linens. No sign of Magic hat. We checked the car, the bathroom, under the bed, everywhere… still no hat.

I resigned myself to figuring it must have been packed someplace and we went on with our adventure. Sunday night when we got home I unpacked everything. I asked Mo to look when she unpacked… still no hat. The magic hat is gone. I am crushed.
So Monday I got online and ordered a new magic hat. It is not exactly the same hat, in fact it is a little fancier, and it has a smaller brim. But I figure since the magic is what is keeping the sun off of me one inch less brim will be ok. Hopefully it will be here soon. I don’t want to get too tanned.

This is not a great shot of me but it is the only I have of me in my magic hat.

Have a magical day everyone.