I was digging through some old photos today and found this little one of a jacket I used to own. Beautiful was it, with its black & taupe panelling, elbow patches, large pockets (ladies, you’ll know how exciting this one is) and tartan lining. One of those rare finds, which you can’t seem to pass up despite the money and it not being your usual thing.
You take it home, dig out one of those padded hangers your granny used for delicate or special clothes. You stare longingly at it, hesitantly shrug it onto your shoulders and strut around your room like you’re Freddie Mercury, wary of taking it into the big bad world. You begin forming a strange attachment, guarding it from possible pain and trauma, using it on only rare occasions. One day, a friend asks to borrow it. Carefully, she knows how you feel.
Then it happens.
A dark night, a chill in the air, a little too much tipple and vamoose! Into the dust of the darkness it disappears, swept into an underworld of lies and deceit.
You hear the news and like a scorned lover, you sigh heavy defeat; imagining scenes of it parading on less idyllic shoulders, hugging the curvature of another body and oblivious to your mourning. Your poor dear friend, mortified at the occurrence, finds a replacement, buys you flowers and very sweetly makes amends. You’re warmed that she cares – and the new jacket is warmer, simpler and still tartan inside. Time passes and your loss stings less, yet some days, you can’t help but think of that special, irreplaceable charm that the original held.
That, with a few artistic embellishments, is the tale of this little jacket. Thankfully, blogging in the past means that photographs of our time together exist, not dooming it to a faded memory. One day I will create a replica, with bells and whistles to make it more mine and even better. For now, I shall have to look upon these pictures with idle hope, exhale a wistful sigh and slowly move on.