A Monk’s Aura at the Convenience Store (Just a Passing Thought)

This isn’t a true story — just my imagination. A passing thought: “Is this how people see me?”

When I walk into a convenience store in my samue (traditional monk’s work clothes), I sometimes feel people staring.
Maybe they’re not, really. But I can’t help thinking:
A bald ex-monk in samue… are they expecting me to ask for donations or something?

I shave my head down to the shortest buzz cut every 20 days, so it’s always shiny.
Once, the cashier handed me my change extra carefully, almost nervously.
In my head, I was laughing: “Relax, I’m just a regular customer!”

But then I thought — maybe that’s not such a bad thing.
If people think, “This guy looks like he’s got his life together,”
then maybe, just maybe, I’m giving them a little sense of reassurance.

Of course, the truth is far less noble.
I’m just a regular guy buying Coolish vanilla ice cream.