Big Red

Around four years ago, when I was directing the Block Island Ecumenical Choir -and still thoroughly enjoying myself - I was pinching pennies even more than I do today. It was nearing winter on the Island of Biting Wind and I just couldn't afford a new coat. Which wouldn't have been much of a problem if oly I had owned an old coat.

Due to an incredibly ridiculous lack of cash flow at the time of the St. Andrew's Catholic Church Ladies' Guild Goodwill-ish clothing drive (there were many times I would not have been able to dress myself without them, God Bless 'em), I just plain couldn't afford one. I knew I needed one. I knew it was irresponsible and reckless to go without one. After all, I had a family. People depended on me to be healthy. You can't just walk around without a coat and expect anyone to feel sorry for you if you come down sick. So I piled on the shirts. Undershirt, T-Shirt, Long-Sleeved Shirt and two button down thick shirts once belonging to my I-Can't-Believe-He-Works-Outside-Without-His-Carhardt's Husband.

It wasn't long before my choir members, paticularly a few more responsible ladies than I, started making comments about my inappropriate attire. As the weather became colder, then downright nasty and, one evening, dangerously icy, it became apparent that I was not going to dress any warmer. Hell, I could barely move my arms as it was!

It was D. who put two and two together. She has always been good with numbers. Sometimes prickly, sometimes overly outspoken, she has always been someone with whom I enjoyed a music-filled rapport and whose opinions I have respected - even when they clashed with mine. It was no surprise that she chose not to lecture me, or to ask me embarrassing questions when she figured out long ago about my incredibly stiff-necked pride. Instead, she approached me one night and told me how she had set aside some clothes she was going to give away, a fairly new, barely used coat among them. It was just my size - would I like to have it so she didn't have to cart it somewhere else? Of course, I tried to downplay it like I was doing Her the favor, but inside a big block of relief coursed through me. A coat! Like a real person!

She delivered the coat to my house the next day. To this day, I'm not sure why she was giving it away. To this day, I'm not even sure she ever had intended to give it away. An L.L. Bean, barn red, plaid flannel lined, big (but not unfashionably so), fluffy, warm, responsible coat. With deep pockets, a hood and a simple act of kindness that meant more to me than I was ever able to express.

That coat has gotten a workout. It was worn every single cold (and sometimes not so cold) day. It has been covered with mud, grease, food, animal hair, leaves, mold, puke, soaked through diapers then tossd in the wash and come out good as almost new. It started with the drawstring waist pulled as tight as the coat allowed, then through the early stages of a showing pregnancy as the drawstring was let out more and more...then through the post pregnancy when I just decided there was no point in even trying to pull the drawstring to resemble a waist - it was just false advertising.

Last year I bought myself a "chalet" down-filled coat from LL Bean in "Wild Berry". It was on sale. It is warm and wonderful and I wear it on really cold days and special occasions.

But still...when the weather turns cold...nothing beats my well-used, well-loved red coat.