There's a guy in Washington state who wears a Superman costume. Not every day, but every day he can. Most days. This American Life profiled him here. He doesn't think he's Superman. I suspect most people who actually believe themselves to be Superman do not live long enough to be profiled on a radio show, what with the flying and the speeding bullets and all. This guy just likes to wear the costume.
He doesn't go around drawing extra attention to himself. He doesn't ham it up. He just wears a Superman costume. The reasons behind his choice are complicated, like most reasons are, but in his interview he said something extremely illuminating. "A lot of times," he said, "I can't wait to pop [the costume] on because, you know, as soon as someone sees you, their day is different. They've got a story to tell."
It isn't all about him. He wears the costume to give others a story, a touchstone for their day. Think about it. Tell me a single day of yours that would not have been made better if the guy in front of you at the checkout line or next to you on the train or pumping gas one car over from you were wearing a hand-sewn Superman costume. Or, if not better, at least different. And this guy, more often than not, was eager to make that difference for people.
Of course, he gets something out of it himself, mind you. I don't mean to paint him as an Atlas, shouldering a great burden to make others happy, or the clown who smiles during his performance but cries as he wipes the greasepaint off afterward, but still, when asked why he does it, his first answer was that he does it for others. Like a gift we didn't even know we wanted.
We've got a Superman in our town too. He dresses in his Superman costume and stands outside the Dairy Queen. Sometimes he doesn't wear his costume, he just holds a Superman action figure. Some days he wears a track suit and stands on the corner by the post office and dances.
So, not really the same thing as what you're talking about here.
Posted by: Jen | April 08, 2009 at 11:08 AM
One day I thought I had seen a man wearing a hot dog suit. A man. In a HOT DOG SUIT! But when I took a second look I realized it was just a man. In a red shirt and a brown jacket. How my mind jumped from regularly dressed man to hot dog suit I'm not sure. But all the same, just the fact that I thought I saw a man in a hot dog suit totally made my day.
Posted by: Olivia | April 08, 2009 at 11:13 AM
We're just like that here in Washington. We do wacky things for each other. But, when it rains as much as it does here in Seattle, you gotta do something for your fellow humans.
Posted by: Holly | April 08, 2009 at 11:20 AM
I wish I had the nerve to walk around wearing a Wonder Woman costume. Because who doesn't love a chubby woman in a stars and stripes bikini?
Yesterday I saw an suv painted like a zebra on my boring drive home from work...and it did give me a story to tell. That's a cool way to look at it.
Posted by: Miss Yvonne | April 08, 2009 at 11:36 AM
You have inspired me to take the brave step to start wearing my Slutty Snow White costume out in public. OK, not really. That would just scare people.
Posted by: Burgh Baby | April 08, 2009 at 11:41 AM
that's a little sweet and a little creepy...
and the snow didn't last but 2 minutes...it did however freak me out as well
Posted by: aubreeze | April 08, 2009 at 11:41 AM
I totally get it. It's the reason I don't mind all the attention from my kids.
PS - Slutty Snow White? AWESOME
Posted by: loren | April 08, 2009 at 11:53 AM
That is awesome.
Posted by: Stephanie | April 08, 2009 at 12:07 PM
That is really interesting. It is like a gift that we didn't know we wanted. It gives us a little something to think of, ponder or share through out our day and maybe even beyond!
Posted by: Katie | April 08, 2009 at 12:27 PM
I once saw a pimp walking down my street, a couple blocks from my house. In full-blown 1970's pimp regalia with a purple hat and feather and everything. He even had the strut and a cane. And no, it wasn't Halloween. Funniest thing I ever saw, although it did make me wonder whether my neighborhood would soon become a red light district. I had just moved in and didn't know too many of the neighbors... sadly, I never saw the pimp again.
I applaud the Supermans and pimps of the world. We all take ourselves way too seriously.
Posted by: Kaylee | April 08, 2009 at 12:34 PM
Some of us don superhero outfits. Others of us just take our outrageous children in public. Either way, we're giving the people we meet stories to tell over the dinner table.
Posted by: Taado | April 08, 2009 at 12:38 PM
http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/200111/19_horwichj_upandaway-m/
where I'm from we have a superman too. Only he is an unemployed convicted pedophile living with his parents at 43, just the kind of superhero central minnesota needs. My favorite days are the ones where he stands with a picture of Ronald Regan and an american flag, old school boombox playing "these colors dont run." My cup runneth over. See the song written in his honor here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vquT95pRlMA
Posted by: Liz | April 08, 2009 at 01:42 PM
Wow! Another person from St. Cloud!! I was just coming on to tell about the above mentioned Superman! In the article it doesn't say anything about the unemployed, pedophile thing. Where did you get that info Liz? I would love to read it!
Posted by: Andrea | April 08, 2009 at 01:56 PM
Great story. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: VegasDad | April 08, 2009 at 02:19 PM
I saw Elvis at the grocery store a few weeks ago. He was awesome. He had the full rhinestone jump suit and real sideburns. And I did have a story to tell. I called my mother right up to let her know that Elvis was alive and well and shops at Hy-Vee.
Posted by: Ashley | April 08, 2009 at 03:16 PM
We have a guy here in midtown Atlanta who has the same kind of story. He wears a tutu and twirls a baton while he marches down the street blowing a whistle. (And he has fantastic legs!) He says he does it because it makes people smile. His name is Baton Bob and he's become an Atlanta legend!
Posted by: Deanna | April 08, 2009 at 03:28 PM
Because once I start, I can't stop talking about Baton Bob; I thought I'd share Baton Bob's website for your edification!
http://www.batonbob.com
Posted by: Deanna | April 08, 2009 at 03:33 PM
We don't have a super man, but one day when I was driving through downtown MKE there was an Elvis sitting at the bus stop with a bunch of ladies who were all dressed up for Church. That was awesome
Posted by: Reg | April 08, 2009 at 03:33 PM
That's seriously awesome. You're right. 99% of my days out in the world would be better if I happened to see some looney bird in a costume.
Posted by: Chris | April 08, 2009 at 03:50 PM
Fascinating! Guess I need to catch up on my This American Life podcasts...
Posted by: 3-Martini Jennifer | April 08, 2009 at 03:53 PM
I see I'm not your only reader from St Cloud. Weird.
Posted by: Jen | April 08, 2009 at 03:54 PM
I have to admit that I'm kind of jealous of this guy. If I didn't feel like I would be socially ostracized (sp?) I would totally wear big, puffy, princess dresses and a crown every day.
(I was a theatre major, can you tell?)
Posted by: Lottifish | April 08, 2009 at 04:54 PM
Some people have thier superman to look forward to, some, like me, look forward to your blog. Keep up the good work.
Posted by: Andy | April 08, 2009 at 05:29 PM
In Austin, we don't have a Superman that I know of, but we do have Leslie and he always inspires a good many stories. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Cochran
Posted by: Phaidra | April 08, 2009 at 06:20 PM
Hmmm. Interesting. Made me stop and think for a minute. I can tell you that my kids' day would have definitely been better if they had seen a superman. And it would have been something fun to tell my husband.
playingwithchildren.blogspot.com
Posted by: Erin | April 08, 2009 at 10:11 PM