Friday, October 24, 2008

Comforts


Most of us have a favorite old garment we pull out on occasion to comfort ourselves from life stresses. Mine is a vintage, bright blue , soft, cotton polo shirt. It isn't really my shirt, although it has been in my possession for the past 25 years.

It is, literally, the shirt off my brother's back.

Years ago, my brother and I worked together for a spell and there came a day where he made a decision I did not agree with but which bound me to a commitment I didn't seek and did not want to honor. I was really, really angry with my brother and advised him of my extreme displeasure.

As I recall, that advisement was delivered at volume and, sad to admit, not much grace. To this day I can still see the pained look on my brother's face as he told me he would never do anything to upset me this badly and he'd give me the shirt off his back if that would make us square. My response? "Hand it over"...which he promptly did.

On the days when I arrive home feeling a bit overwhelmed or very tired, I head for a hot shower and my brother's shirt. It comforts me because it is old, soft, loose. It comforts me because I am reminded I have a brother who would give me the shirt off his back, and I am comforted because I am reminded I've had worse days, those where grace wasn't on my agenda.

Regarding comforts, I guess there is always scotch and water for folks without shirtless brothers.

6 comments:

moi said...

Welcome to the blogosphere, Fishy! I followed you from Aunty's. Put me in the scotch and water category. Although, my brother did have a vintage Jimi Hendrix tee shirt that I tried for years to get him to fork over.

Jenny said...

I just figured out (from your comment at Aunty's) that you are THAT Fishy. Welcome to Blogging!

Comfort clothes are not only necessary they are best worn when also drinking scotch. Or, in my case, cold vodka/rocks.

boneman said...

well, I came wandering over to see what picture...(from K9's place)

Noted the Linus, and, indeed, I used to have clothing, but, somehow it all shrunk. Right around the middles, y'know?

oh well.
Maybe if I keep up the exercizing, it'll whittle away and i can get back around to wearing my pants, again.

No...I have another pair of britches, wider'n I wanted to admit, but, yeah...like that.
And i noted the top five items of interest were also right up there with my five items of interest...
then dropped down to chocolate (which draws the eyes to it, magically) and though I drink tea, I love coffee. One sugar, no cream.

Reckon till my britches get around fitting again, I call my jacket my security thing.
Basically because there are so many pockets in it, I don't have to worry about having a place to put everything.

well....except I really should draw a map telling me which pocket things are in. It's really embarrassing to be checking all hose pockets looking for my teeth.

sparringK9 said...

i like this:

"advised him of my extreme displeasure"

grrrrrherhahahahahaha

Aunty Belle said...

Welcome aboard Fishy!

On yore displeasure,
I knows one who warns ya', "I'm approaching irritability."

fishy said...

Welcome all you commentors to my little pond! I guess I finally decided to not just vist in other ponds but have a pond of my own.
Moi, my brother still has posession of his vintage Hendrix t's I wasn't THAT angry.

a.b. , truth is I don't really do scotch either, my fav is vodka/pink grapefruit juice. Never have tried the rocks approach !

boneman, just wrap yourself in a favorite old sheet for enjoying that coffee without cream and not enough sugar. Are you an architecture and design maven?

k9, seems I've read an epistle or two on your blog where you advised of your "extreme displeasue". Also, I can tell you I have enjoyed laugh out loud pleasure from many of the images you have shared on your blog.

Aunty Belle, you is a stitch! An a smart one too!

Aunty Belle,