Old Shirts are like old friends

  It may not be the same time of the year for everyone. Some people choose Spring or Summer while others choose the Fall or Winter. But at some time during the year we do a bit of housekeeping. Around the end of school is popular. I am not talking about the dusting, vacuuming or washing windows. That can always wait until another day. I am talking about sorting out clothes, getting rid of those things that are old and worn out. But that is not always an easy thing to do..

   I like to frequent LL Bean in Freeport at least several times a year and happened to do so several weeks ago. There were some great sales and markdowns. As I looked over a selection of shirts, of which I needed none, I picked up on the conversation taking place next to me. The husband had selected several new shirts to purchase. His wife reluctantly agreed but only if he would throw some of his older ones away.

   “You need to get rid of the shirts that you don’t wear anymore, the ones that are all faded and worn. Look at the one you're wearing today. Why do you wear that out in public? The cuffs are all frayed and the collar is torn. Who knows what color it was when it was new.”

      “I like this shirt,” was his quick reply. “It is comfortable. You gave it to me for a birthday present when we first started dating. Do you want me to throw it out?”

   I recalled the words of a Mary Chapin Carpenter song.

   “This shirt is old and faded. All the color is washed away. I’ve had it for many damn years now than I can count anyway. I wear it beneath my jacket with the collar turned up high. So old I should replace it, but I’m not about to try.”

   Old clothes may be like an old friends. They are comfortable, fit us just right and often have some great stories to share. We can sometimes even get an extra day of wear before putting them into the washer because they looks so bad. (Not our friends)

   For some folks it’s a shirt, for others, a sweater or pair of old jeans. But as often as we try to replace them, it is sometimes just too difficult to throw the old ones away.

   Back at the store the discussion........

   “The next time you put that shirt in the wash, I am going to throw it in the rag bin!”

   With sadness on his face, the husband put the new shirts back on the shelf. He was sad, not about not buying new shirts, but sad he might have to toss out the old one. To be sure, that shirt would never see the laundry basket again. It will find a special hiding place.

   “This shirt is a grand old relic with a grand old history. I wear it beneath my jacket with the collar turned up high. So old I should replace it, but I am not about to try.”