Shirt Crazi

My father told me that it's human nature for people to perform as well as they feel, and that the way a person is dressed affects how they feel. It was always important for him as a practicing dentist to come to work each day looking his best. His shoes were always polished and his tie sported a distinctive symmetrical knot.

At the Jacobs Smile Center, we have a dress code that I feel contributes to a feeling of teamwork. Our clinical team coordinates their scrub and jacket combinations depending on the day of the week. Front office members wear either a coordinated business suit or our signature blue logo cotton blouse and dark dress pants.

Yesterday I found that this concept is thought important in the least likely of places. It was my day to volunteer as a dentist at the Care Free Dental Clinic, a volunteer clinic whose mission is to serve the homeless, low income and uninsured people of our county. Our fourth patient presented for treatment, sat in the dental chair, and said she was told by C. J. to say hello to me.

"Do you mean C. J. Skerbeck?" referring to the owner of our regional traveling carnival. "Yup, she's the one," the lady replied.

I asked, "what do you do for the carnival?" I was given a brief explanation of a job I had never heard of before. "I am the person who gives out the clean shirts every day to the carnival workers. You know, nobody gets a clean shirt unless they are wearing clean, dark bluejeans or black pants. They must be clean and in good condition. It's important that they look good everyday, because they are all representatives of our carnival. If I don't give them a clean shirt each day, they have to go home and change or they just plain-out can't work for us that day. Every day, every worker gets a fresh, clean shirt. I'm the one who washes every shirt. I'm the one who decides if they work today or not."

I thought for a moment. "Your job sounds important. What do the other carnival workers call you? Please don't use any words I can't repeat."

"They call me the Shirt "Crazi" she laughed. "I don't care. I make sure they all look good, and C. J. counts on me to make sure that's how it is. My second most important job that I do is selling tickets and handling the money." At this point I understood that the Shirt Crazi must be really important. I guess Dad was right, even the important people at the Skerbeck Carnival know that looks are important in your job.