What I Found In My Closet

One morning this week I was searching in my closet for a particular shirt. The lighting is not good in there so I was on my hands and knees with a flashlight, kneeling on the closet floor and peering above me searching in vain for this shirt. But, much to my surprise, on the very far left side of the closet where I seldom go, I found this (the one in the picture) shirt. This shirt is nearly as old as my friendship with DK in St. Cloud. She is the one who bought it for me back in the 1970's. I knew I had a Suzuki shirt but I never realized it said Motorcycles on it until this week. This old shirt has seen a lot of good times, hence the stains and the missing "I". See the sweat stains around the neck and arm pits? That is from a combination of dancing and changing flat tires. As a poor college student I couldn't afford new tires so I bought retreads. It wasn't unusual for me to get a flat tire and I would always change them myself. See the orangish stains on the midsection? Probably spilled a little of our favorite drink of the time - Southern Comfort and Tang (powdered orange drink favored by the astronauts). There is a little burn hole near the bottom hem. That happened at a 4th of July party. I was seated on the ground next to DK. Bob Seeger was singing "Night Moves." This party had a bon fire going. Somebody lit off a bottle rocket and it went awry. The bottle rocket bounced off me and went into DK's lap. She was seated cross-legged and the bottle rocket made a circle in her lap several times before exiting and going who knows where. We both sat in amazement watching her lap being illuminated. Things always happen to her - a modern day Calamity Jane. Ah, what a night it was. I found more than a shirt in my closet, more like a fabric of memories.