In Memory of a Departed Shirt
I no longer possess the shirt appearing in these photographs. It had finally arrived at a state of disintegration that would put to shame any self-respecting dishcloth, and, in consequence, it got ignominiously chucked out with the general rubbish recently. One day, between 2007 and 2010, I found, in the basement of a Henry Street department store, two floral-patterned shirts that immediately caught my eye. One was the shirt about which this account is concerned. The other shirt has a floral design with roses on a blue background. There was no question but that I had to acquire both shirts. I justified the purchase to myself on the grounds that, although I could see no prospect of wearing either shirt in the context of most of the activities that formed the major part of my social life, I could nevertheless see the possibility of wearing one or other of those shirts at certain private gatherings and social events with particular friends. In the event, the blue floral-patter...