And I thank the Lord for that fact. What you doin’ here is
a mystery to me. I ain’t cotton to them themes on shirts myself.
Look kindly stupid, you ask me. Jes’ look where you at now.
Exactly. If you’d just listen to me for a minute, I’m
sure we could get this all cleared up. Clearly, I’m in your
company by mistake.
You right ‘bout that. Ain’t no way, no how, you fit
with me, missy.
I concur. Please move aside so I can find my way back to my proper
place.
Won’t do you no good. Once you here, that the end of the line.
She don’t want you no mo. She done moved on. She got a new
look and you know how much she like dat. She be right crazy ‘bout
doin’ dat. I ‘member the time she got all crazy on that
black. Black hair, black lines on her eyes, black clothes. Man, she
be dark in that time....
Will you please turn your attention to me? There are only so many
weeks between now and Thanksgiving and I have a job to do. I hope
you’ve noticed the full turkey on my back. Hand-stitched in
hand-dyed wool spun in the Appalachian Mountains. I’m one of
a kind.
I have to say you probly right ‘bout that. That don’t
make you no dif’rent from me though. Yep, she done moved on
from my bib jeans and here I is. I went to lots ‘o places,
though. Strolled myself through the streets of Isfahan; kept her
covered up, jes like she ‘posed to be. I had me some good years
back in the day, searchin’ out her bargains in the souks, buyin’ her
some gold – and I’m talkin’ sho ‘nuff gold,
not that puny 14 carat stuff – explorin’ all ‘round
the mountains. Yessiree, Bob, this gal ain’t afraid to step
out and try on the new. You be right sure evidence of that.
Be that as it may, I’m part of the Thanksgiving tradition
for Trudy. She would never relegate me to the back of the closet.
Clearly, I must have gotten my hanger tangled up with some other
garments.
You see any a them “other garments” hangin’ up
next to you? I’m tellin’ you girl, you done finished.
She ain’t comin’ back here lookin’ for you. Once
you here, you jes here, that’s all. Won’t be no comin’ out
party for you, missy. I been bein’ here since 1982 and I ain’t
been out one time. No, sirree, not one time, and I still be lookin’ good,
if you was to ax me.
I most certainly am NOT asking you. I see your time clearly is past;
I, on the other hand, never go out of style. I have a certain je
ne sai quoi that allows me limitless wearability.
Now, girl, this here be a mighty fine place to be. This where all
the favorites go. That mean she like you and want to keep you ‘round.
You won’t be goin’ in no bag for the Salvation Army.
She done made that choice. What she do is, she come back here ever
now and then, take a look at us, and ‘member all her good times.
Them memories precious, girl, and we the prizes from those memories;
we the prizes.
