Found: Favorite Shirt

I never would have believed it. A year and 4 months has passes since I started whining about a new shirt that I couldn't find. Now, this shirt had special significance. For one thing, it was my very my first purchase since we moved to Portland, less food, rent, and gas (which our friendly local federal government was reimbursing us for at the time). It was a guilty buy, as we were reeling a little from not-yet reimbursed moving expenses, and from dropping down to a single income. Saved by a loophole, I had bought the shirt to wear to a job interview.
The shirt was very soft, had elastic in many odd locations, and bore a pleasant but not peasant-y turquoise and blue flower print. It was cute-cute, a ruffly, stretchy, sophisticated thing that was displayed with Easter Sunday in mind. I couldn't remember the last time I'd owned anything so un-tomboyish, and I thought all that elastic made me look pretty good. Anyway, back to the matter at hand.

"Have you seen it?"

I'd ask Paul. Of course not. What man knows the whereabouts of all his wife's clothing? On occasion I pined for the thing, especially when such requisite apparel was appropriate. Then winter came and I forgot about the shirt. Another summer went by (2006), and I thought of the thing a few times, wondering if I could ever bring myself to move on and seek out a worthy replacement. When the fall rolled around again, I was over it. No more super-cute shirt. There will be others; just give it time (not so pretty and not quite right, but others nonetheless).
OK. So then last week Paul put on a sweater that he hasn't worn for a long time (obviously, because...). He didn't even decide to wear it; he was just trying it out, maybe making sure that he still wasn't too fond of the thing. Folded and tucked very neatly in its pocket, hid that very cute shirt. Now I know that I was the one who unscrupulously 'borrowed' the sweater and then placed my favorite shirt in the pocket. The story surrounding it's new temporary home is a mystery to me. My description of finding the shirt would not contain the words overwhelming, bittersweet, or beautiful, but boy was I happy to see it. Yay favorite shirt!
-A

I realize that you see a picture of my arm, mostly -- the whole darn thing can be seen here.