Joe, a former kickball teammate, and Little League opponent, wrote a blog entitled “Blue Light” that, among other things, was a reference to Blue Light Specials that Kmart department stores did in their glory days in the 20th century.
In short, an employee would broadcast on the store’s speakers —”Attention Kmart shoppers….” — announce a promotion (a discount, or buy-one-get-one-free) in one of the departments. The exact location was marked with a flashing blue light.
I had something of a flashback to my Kmart days, and I wrote to Joe:
“A younger version of me (well, older than the one you remember from elementary/middle school) worked at a K-mart in Central Florida. I worked in the garden shop— loading cars, watering plants, sweeping concrete floors, and occasionally working the register. I liked the job well enough, but it was peculiar that they called me—200+ lbs, pushing 19, with sideburns and later a beard—a “Patio Boy.” I wonder if I could get same job at one of the remaining K-marts if they would still call me that, or I’d be classified as a “Patio Geezer.”
He suggested that I would now be a “Patio Man.” I’m cool with that, thus I’m thinking of adding PM to my Linkedin profile and email signature.
If people think that I’m a prime minister from somwhere, I’m good with that.
(You can see Joe Blair’s writing here: Also, check out his book, “By The Iowa Sea.“