I Can't Let Go

Do you have an item in your wardrobe that you are so attached to you just can't let it go, even though it is well past it's use by date?

I do.  It's a t-shirt.  It is old and almost threadbare.  It has faded, stretched, threads hanging from it, the hem has come down, it has bleached spots and I wore it when I coloured my hair this week (and you know only your oldest, daggiest items of clothing are reserved for that special event!).  I only wear it at home or in the yard when I'm quite sure no one will be visiting.  But it is comfortable and easy and I will keep wearing it and washing it until it falls apart.

It was given to me by Secret Santa when I was teaching I'm not sure how many years ago, but I do know it was more than ten.  We'd always find out at the staff Christmas Party who our Secret Santa was, and this particular year mine was the hippest, coolest, trendiest, most popular, young female teacher at our school.  Her dream was to be an actor and in her spare time she was studying drama and acting in small theatre plays in Brisbane.  We weren't friends exactly but we were friendly.  We'd often sit at the same table in the staffroom.  She was the 'it' girl.  So I was stoked when I found out my present was from her.  I even remember her words, "I bought that for you because you are enjoying your gym so much."  I'd lost about 5kgs in that year and was the fittest I'd ever been as I'd joined a gym earlier in the year.

Every time I wear it I still think of Melissa.  And I'm willing to bet she has totally forgotten that she ever bought that t-shirt for me.  I haven't seen nor heard anything about her for years.  I wonder where she is now.  I also wonder if I've touched anyone's life by doing or saying something that I have totally forgotten about.