Boot-licker

Last night my husband-Mr. Observant- told me that he sees me transform from alpha-female to boot-licker when asked to describe my career to friends, family and random strangers. I'm not sure why this is. I know I get nervous when asked this question by science and non-science people. I always think people want just a one-line answer like "scientist" but at the same time, I don't think I feel confident that I am a "real" scientist. I feel like I have to somehow explain that I am "just a postdoc" or something, and since-lay people don't generally know what a postdoc is, I generally don't say I am a postdoc, hence I get nervous identifying myself a scientist.
Perhaps one small, lingering aspect of it may be what I call the "9th grade phenomenon". In 9th grade, there was a transformation in "cool". Entering high school (9th grade) in hateful SC, I found out it was no longer cool to be smart, which was in contrast to some of my previous schools. At my high school, the average student who was good at sports was celebrated as a small town hero. It was not cool to stand out in any other way (i.e. with smarts). I totally defied that, but it was hard not to be influenced by it. This attitude was present at the big-10 university where I got my BS, although to a much smaller extent.
I really would like to think I am beyond influence of what is "cool" and what others think. I feel more confident now than I ever have. So I am truly confused about my I get so flustered when people ask me about my career.
Ah ha. I knew writing this out would help.. it's not the "9th grade phenomenon", and it's not exactly that I feel like a fake-scientist. It is that I don't want to make people uncomfortable. I perceive that people get uncomfortable when I tell them that I am a scientist. I happen to be pretty decent looking by the standards in our society, and then on top of it being a scientist sounds like I am super smart and successful. I know I have had the experience many times of responding to strangers when asked about my career and they find out I have a PhD and then they say "oh, well I'm just a bank-teller.." or something, and then I perceive that they seem uncomfortable and think I am looking down on them. FYI, I do not think I look down on people based on what their job or career is.. jeez, there are so many better reasons to look down on people!! (e.g. tan lines, choice in accessories.. etc).