I Just Packed 36 Shirts

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I wore those shirts when I weighed around 220 lbs. Those shirts are huge on me now. I’ve lost inches off my chest and waist. My bone structure defines the limits now, so my shoulders and arm/leg lengths stayed the same.

I had to buy some smaller shirts. I like to wear them to my chemo sessions because they button down and we can get to my Power Port without having to remove the shirt. Comfy when you’re so skinny that you’re perpetually cold. Anyway, I wear those now when I’m not wearing my default long sleeve t-shirts & sweat shirts.

I found out that most of those 36 shirts had stories wrapped up within each one. I have very specific memories of events that these shirts also witnessed. I never knew how much what I wear is tied up in my memories. I guess it’s the prevalence of somewhat memorable shirts. I did and still do try to minimize the endlessly anonymous plaids and lumberjack patterns.

It was not boring to pack up those shirts. It went pretty quickly too since I was just basically pulling them off the hangers and sloppily folding them into shapes that would pack into a bag well. I had a little stroll down memory lane as I folded each shirt.

Next come the trousers and shorts. Lots of those. Probably a dozen all told. I had a little khaki fever in the late 1990s when I was going to a lot of functions that really liked khaki trousers as their business casual. Khaki gets dirty very fast so I found myself short on pants every once in a while. I did not put the brakes on buying soon enough, so I had too many even then. They are like vinyl records. I keep them around even though I never handle them. Unlike my vinyl there is no way in gawd’s little earth that I will ever want to wear those khakis again, so I keep no longer. Bye bye!

There are all the old Levis too. I went from wearing 35-36 inch waists down to 32 inches. Same with all my shorts. You can cinch them in using a belt but that really does look ridiculous. I had to get new ones. New belts too. I’m packing up those next.

The expensive bespoken suit that I had made for one of my niece’s wedding in New Jersey? It’s gotta go. M suggested that I try eBaying it. I’ll keep it around here for a while longer and give it a shot.

Then I’ll be done for the day. I’ll drop the bags off somewhere on Monday.

There is so much left to give away. I walk around this house and in every storage nook there’s stuff I don’t need. Ah well, another day. I’m going to bask in the warmth of a day’s task well done instead.