The Idle American: 'Hi, you've reached Pat!'

One could strip mental gears trying to come up with a more “fitting” name than hers. Pat Worrell laughs at the thought of many introductory variations over the decades. In recent years, many introductions have been reduced to three endearing words: “The hat lady.”

A veteran educator who spent 33 years in both classroom and principal assignments, she’s always been upbeat and positive. Even her voice mail greeting befits her approach to life: “Hi, you’ve reached Pat. If you’d like to leave a message.”

She is contacted often, her callers confident that their concerns will be sincerely considered and warrant responses.

Pat has successfully kept retirement at bay, now having served 18 years on the Burleson ISD Board of Trustees and in numerous other community and church leadership roles.

Yep, she responds warmly to folks calling her “the hat lady,” a description that fits quite well. Sickness claimed her hair several years ago, so she took to wearing hats with all outfits - formal, casual and everything in between.

Recently moving to a new senior living community, Pat first had to investigate closet capacities. Luckily, she learned that all - okay, at least most -of her headgear has been accommodated. Ladies topping themselves off with hats are far more discriminating, so proper care must be considered for storage.

After all, the old song calling for taking off hats and throwing them in the corner probably references dunce hats, gimme caps and other typically male headgear.

Before you ask, yes, she still buys hats. From time to time, she finds one she feels she has to have.

Pat personifies hope and optimism upon awakening each day. She’s trusting, compassionate and helpful, always eager to do her part when Good Samaritan situations arise.

Not until speaking with her recently did it ever cross my mind that if I ever needed to address her by her formal name, it would need to be Patricia. (She doesn’t like the name Patsy, nor accusations of being one!)

During the phone conversation about her driving in for an oil change and out in a new car, I knew I’d never get by implying that she’s a patsy. (Okay, I was shaking my head, and no, we weren’t on FaceTime.) Surely she wasn’t a patsy on her car deal - one where she might have been victim of an aggressive sales person’s senior hustle.”

She successfully answered my questions: Were you dissatisfied with your car? Was it uncomfortable, or maybe a lemon? Were the miles creeping up?

Pleasant and prepared responses provided proof that other friends were asking similar questions.

Without taking a breath, she explained that she had taken her 2023 sedan in for its SECOND ever oil change, but admitting that a 2026 showroom vehicle caught her eye.

Pat canceled the oil change request, and minutes later, drove home in the new red car, its odometer registering four miles. (Her trade-in had 10,400 miles, almost all on Johnson and Tarrant County roadways.)

She views her transaction positively. “It even has a sunroof (or moonroof, whichever one it is) I didn’t notice until arriving home,” she laughed. “I’m also saving a dollar a month on my car insurance, and I didn’t have to pay for the oil change. Plus, the new car payments aren’t that much more.”

As if delivering a vote to break a tie on a serious school board matter, she admits that her story is crafted as a prelude to April Fool’s Day. She does have a bright red car, and she really went to the dealership to get an oil change. BUT the red car still belongs to the dealership. She’s chosen the leasing route for the past several cars, and her three-year commitment was at hand, etc. Story shortened, it was something like getting a new hat. Red has always been her favorite color.

Dr. Newbury, longtime president of Howard Payne University, lives in the Metroplex with Brenda, his wife of 60 years. Website: www.speakerdoc.com. Email: newbury@speakerdoc.com