2/24/07

Nothing Lasts Forever - But Jim Bell's Topcoats Never Die


Received the following email from Jim Bell


Well, I did it. Nothing is forever. After 58 years of loyal and faithful duty I have retired "Ole Gray". "Old Gray" for the uninitiated is my ole Harris Tweed overcoat which was purchased in 1949. Yep, that''s right -- 1949. In 1949 I was going to school in Utah and I came home for Christmas and told my dad, "I need a coat, I'm freezing my backside." so off to The Manhattan we went and I've been the proud owner of Ole Gray ever since. True, I lived in Calif for a few years in the interim, and I didn't wear it in Vietnam (but there were some days when I sure could have used it), and some winters here in VA I didn't use it, but I had to dig it out of storage this year and it was very welcome on some of the recent 15-20ยบ days. But Dora got more and more disenchanted every year, so finally yesterday off to Macy's we went for the big President's Day sale.
The new one is a good coat but I don't think I'll try to stretch it for another half-century. The new one was made in China of course, and I don't see any of those union labor labels in it like the old one. I know I would like it a lot better if it had a "Made in North Carolina" label. -- J.


Now about those tennis shoes you have from high school........

No comments: