Are there perks with invisibility?
Ladybug and I make our way about town several times a week but I’ve noticed a significant change in the general atmosphere surrounding these outings. Namely, the fact that I am now invisible.
We go to the library, a place I have worked with the same people for over five years. Immediately, Ladybug is swooped down upon and carted off in a flurry of “isn’t she cute?” and “look what a big girl you are.” If I’m quiet, they honest to goodness would not notice I’m there. I firmly believe they think Ladybug drove herself over to see them. If I speak, they look up, startled that someone else is in the room, so consumed are they by Princess Ladybug.
At her well baby check up? Same scenario only replace librarians with nurses and even a doctor or two. I’m paying the bill. I’m holding her still while they dig around in her ears and listen to her heart. But I’m really not there at all.
Tonight the entire family trooped out to the store for a little pre-weekend shopping. The goal was to be quick because Michael had music rehearsal. No dilly dallying! However, Ladybug held audience in at least eight aisles of the store and that really slowed us down. Invisible or not, we have to push the cart and gather items off the shelves. Michael was holding Ladybug in his arms and a person we barely know held an entire conversation with Ladybug without ever once looking at her father. Maybe she thinks Ladybug is a ventriloquist, the way she keeps throwing her voice to answer questions. Maybe she thinks Ladybug knows how to levitate. She certainly never glanced at Michael or in any way indicated that he was present.
When we pushed away a few minutes later, Michael made a comment about being invisible and I had to break it to my beloved that as far as I can tell our invisibility is directly connected to our precious daughter. If we keep her, we lose our identity as we knew it pre-Ladybug and that’s all there is to it. We’ve decided it’s a fair trade because we love her madly and all that and maybe this new state of being (or not being as the case may be) will get us out of mortgage payments or dental exams. One can hope.
