God Made Thrift Stores

Earlier last week I had a bad head morning.  But unlike most bad head mornings, it landed on a Tuesday.  I need to reserve karaoke for the weekends, strictly.

Having my mornings free on Tuesday, I decided to go to the Salvation Army on Euclid and E. 51st for some retail salvation.  I love this particular thrift store because as far as I can tell, the cool kids have yet to find it.  Unique in Ohio City is extremely picked over.  I also have this crazy theory that someone from Flower Child goes in early every time Unique puts out new clothes and steals all the Lacoste and Ralph Lauren.  I don't know how I know this, but I know this.  The Value World on Lorain has been pretty good to me lately, but being that it's next to a T.J. Maxx, I know if I go there, I'm not leaving until I spend all of my lunch money for the week.

So I like the Salvation Army, albeit I could do without their disapproval of my gay, lesbian, etc. friends.  

When I got there, the layout had changed since my last visit.  They were doing some sort of construction in the back, which included a jury rigged changing room made out of plywood and a shower curtain.  This was great news for me, being that this place never had a changing room before.  I had my coat with me, which I normally would have left at home, so I wouldn't have to constantly take it on and off to try things on in the aisle, but being that it was pretty chilly that day, I had to bundle up.  So having a changing room was clutch, as they used to say.

I picked up a couple shirts, a pair of jeans I knew wouldn't fit me (but you never know, right?), and a sweater that I passed by initially but came back for because it was a good label.  You really shouldn't pass up good labels.  Even if it's ugly -- but as long as it fits you well -- you'll feel like you're stealing it you're getting it at such a good price.  

And am I glad I picked up that sweater.  It was the one way ticket out of my crummy morning.  I quickly tried on the ill-fitting pants, trying not to trip in the make-shift changing room which would have made for a better story, but also would have meant about a hundred plywood splinters.  I left and immediately put the sweater on, not really giving a shit that I smelled like thrift store.  I didn't shower that morning anyway -- things weren't going to get any worse.

I wore that sweater about three out of the last six days.  As much as I'm going on about a piece of fabric, I'm not going to describe it to you in any more detail.  Like I said, I passed it initially because on the rack it's just kind of a "meh" sweater.  But when I put it on, shit got real.

I wore it yesterday and thought to myself, "as much as I love this sweater, which is probably more than most people, would my life really be much worse if I just threw it into a lake."  Don't worry, I didn't.  But the thought stuck with me.  My life hasn't changed since buying it.  My life won't change if it gets torn or stained.  

I've loved and lost a million sweaters in my life and it's never really affected me.

I really love this city, but not for the things it has: cool bars, places to sing karaoke, a lake (do you need more?).  I love this city because I love the friends I've made here.  The friends that gossip with me on Saturday mornings at Gypsy Bean.  The friends who know that Tina's is a Niteclub and not a Nightclub.  The friends who don't ask if we're riding bikes there, but know we're riding bikes there.

My life was a lot different before I met them.  My life would definitely change if they were thrown into a lake.

So if you're new to Cleveland, or just don't know many people, say hello to someone.  They're not going to hurt you, they probably just want to sing karaoke with you.   And you might have a few bad head mornings because of it, but isn't that why God made thrift stores?

Take good care of those you call your own and keep good company.  -Queen