The leftward and other blatherings of Span (now with Snaps!)

Monday, July 10, 2006

An ode (of sorts) to my travelling pants

Span's travelling pants
March 2006-July 2006


Yes, you were my grey buddy
Through the bleak St Petersburg "thaw",
And the biting spring of Gallipoli.

On planes, trains, ferries and buses
All over Europe
And beyond.

You were all I had to wear
To conform with Dubai's dictates.
You guarded me from
Disapproval.

You were tucked up in bed,
That Venetian night when
I thought I was going to die.

But you protected my legs
As I nearly broke my neck
During the Scottish day.

I had to push you away
In the Greek hospital;
You were too much to bear
Then.

But didn't we run
And frollick
Through the wet highlands.

You had inexplicable lavendar marks
Along your seams
And oh how we laughed.

You weren't always the best of friends
With the chafing,
And the falling down.

But on the whole
You did the job;
You kept me clean(ish),
You kept me warm(ish),
And above all

You kept me clothed.



No flowers please, by request.

7 comments:

backin15 said...

They're dead? Oh the humanity!

I have a jacket, it'll die one day though I don't like to think about it, it's only 7... we've been through so much.

Stephanie said...

It's always cool when you clothes have some history... mine is my mother's old coat circa mid 70s and very cool though in some need of some TLC.

Span said...

They've gone a funny colour in patches, the bottoms of the legs are straggly and I noticed when I got home that there were holes around the gusset too, so I think we can pretty clearly say they are dead. A life hard lived, my pants were but a shooting star across our firmament. *sob*

On the plus side the belt lives on, quite healthy.

Cactus Kate said...

Can you tell us Span what the longest period was that you wore them without cleaning?

Joe Hendren said...

part of a new bed for mara?

cactus kate - your question really stinks!

Span said...

Actually I can't tell you how long I wore them without washing, but it would have been a long time indeed. I did have other clothes that I alternated with my beloved pants, so it makes it difficult to calculate. They seemed to be pretty stain (and smell) resistant. Although my travelling companion now hates the sight of them.

Cactus Kate said...

Joe

I ask because of personal experience. I had a travelling companion who wore his clothes for 16 days in a row.

We had a bet how long he could wear them before people acually physically moved away from him because he stunk so much. BY day 3 we would not go near him, yet the public seemed not to bother.

French have a high tolerance for odour I can tell you that much - 16 days is a long time.