Old friend

“Old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.”

Athenaeus

This old friend was given to me by another old friend almost twenty years ago.

The shirt is from Venice Beach in California and features Kokopelli – of whom Wikipedia informs us:

“Kokopelli is a fertility deity, usually depicted as a humpbacked flute player (often with feathers or antenna-like protrusions on his head), who has been venerated by some Native American cultures in the Southwestern United States. Like most fertility deities, Kokopelli presides over both childbirth and agriculture. He is also a trickster god and represents the spirit of music.”

You can probably see why he appeals to me.

This much-loved garment has been in my care for a long time – first as a frequently worn fashionable item – then as slobbing-around-the-house attire – subsequently (once we had acquired a yard) as a gardening shirt – and then finally as a painter’s protector (throughout our recent renovations) and general handyman’s outfit for use when maintaining the boat or replacing the brakes and bearings on her trailer.

As a result – and as you can see – this dear companion may well be nearing the end of the line. I am nervous about offering it even once more to the washing machine, for fear that it might disintegrate completely therein. Perhaps it has one more role to play in the garage rag basket!

Now twenty years is a pretty good run for a t-shirt and this one has been particularly loyal – which I appreciate. As a Scot I naturally expect my clothes (and indeed my other possessions) to last as long as possible, but even I can have no complaints in this case.

I believe that it would be most appropriate to end this post with a toast to friendship!

“There are good ships,
and there are wood ships,
The ships that sail the sea.
But the best ships, are friendships,
And may they always be.”