Last night we went to see the ‘Lowestoft Players’ perform Dolly Parton’s ‘9 to 5’. It’s about three ordinary women, working in an office, who overthrow their company’s autocratic boss who’s a ‘sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical, bigot’.
Three women… Violet’s a competent office manager – but overlooked for promotion because she’s just a woman; Judy is new to the job, apprehensive, with no office experience; Doralee describes herself as a ‘Backwoods Barbie’:
I’m just a backwoods Barbie
Too much makeup, too much hair
Don’t be fooled by thinkin’
That the goods are not all there
Her song – and the show – is about judging people because of the way they look or act…
I was drinking coffee with a friend outside Wetherspoons. We were talking about judging people we don’t really know… Three policemen walked down the High Street purposefully and approached a man. They started to question and search him. It would be easy to jump to conclusions…
My friend knows the man, who’s homeless and has significant mental health issues. He gets himself into trouble on a regular basis. My friend was clear. This man needs help and support to help him cope with life and deal with his needs.
This morning I read about Jesus watching people dropping money in the temple collection box: ‘Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”’ (Mark 12:41-44)
Musing… Backwoods Barbie… the homeless man… the poor widow… Looks can be deceptive… we judge too easily.
Dolly Parton’s song says:
I’ve always been misunderstood because of how I look
Don’t judge me by the cover ’cause I’m a real good book
malcolmsmusings.org 