SEC Embraces a Pink Coat

There's a headline in today's WSJ that reads "SEC Embraces Social Media."  It's about a decision to allow companies to use social media to broadcast their news, as long as the stockholders know which platform the company has decided to use. What it reminded me of, however, was a story from my trip to DC that I don't think I've told you, lovely readers. The story of my encounter with the SEC.

I was riding the metro from Bethesda to CUA at commute time. I was alone and pretty nervous. I'm not a huge fan of traveling by myself, nor am I comfortable on public transportation. I looked like a non-local, wearing a pink pea coat, short-sleeve shirt, skirt, and footless tights on a 35 degree and rainy day. I think my look of bewildered naivety worked in my favor: people shoved me less hard than they shoved those around me.

As I squished my way onto the car full of commuters, I ended up next to a young man carrying a leather briefcase, embossed with "Securities and Exchange Commission" and their emblem. He raised a quizzical eyebrow at me, but didn't say anything. At every stop, I lurched forward and backwards. I would have fallen all the way over if the car didn't resemble a can packed with sardines. There wasn't any place to go. I noticed that all those around me weren't having the same balance issues; I then noticed that they were all facing with one foot toward the front of the train and one foot toward the back, allowing for the maximum balance. I, of course, was the only person facing the other way, with one foot toward either side of the train.

Every time I lurched back and forth, this guy would look at me and suppress a smile. After about 40 minutes of this, as the train got a little less crowded, I actually fell over, right onto this young man.  A huge smile broke out over his face as he said, "You're not from around here, are you?"

"No," I said, laughing.

"California?," he asked.

"Yes, actually. How did you know?," I responded, with no little amount of surprise.

"The pink coat," he replied. "I like it."

And that, ladies and gents, is the story of the SEC embracing a pink coat.