I lost an old friend yesterday. Sad to say, one of my favorite jeans finally became too shabby for even me to wear. As I was sitting at my computer yesterday the top of the left leg unilaterally parted from the bottom of the leg, as I was sitting there watching!!! Later in the day, a similar situation happened with the right leg. It was as if there was some kind of vast left leg conspiricy concocted against me, that the right leg was dupped into joining. Hey don't laugh, it happens!! Anyway, this particular pair of jeans had a lot of history with me, as do many of your jeans I'm certain. Understand, I am not a very imaginative person. I know what kind of jeans fit me and when I need a new pair of jeans, I go to the same store I went to last time, and buy the same brand, size and style I bought last time. This procedure requires no thought, no planning, no effort, and most of all, does not require me to disrobe in the store's changing booth, a process I rank up there on the "unpleasantness factor", with the my last root canal! However, this particular pair of jeans was different. It was not Levi's 505, medium cut, straight leg, 32w, 30l, but rather it was a pair of those trendy jeans with all the pockets sewed onto the butt and the legs, and with a loop on the side, ostensibly I assume, to carry my hammer. I have had this particular pair of jeans for several years now and originally received them from my son Larry Jr. as a Christmas present. I seem to recall this was his attempt to get dad to dress up to the times. I have to admit that early on, I didn't like the jeans because they were "different". However, as time went on, I grew attached to them and developed a fondness towards them which now causes me a great deal of sadness to see them depart. I tried a while ago to patch the jeans with iron on patch material from JoAnn, but the holes kept appearing and the fabric kept disappearing until it just got to the point of diminishing returns.

And so today, March 4, 2009, we celebrate the passing of my jeans, my different jeans. Today, I am wearing a brand new pair of jeans. These are Levi's 505 jeans and are made from a bright blue jeans material. They are stiff, but they fit and with time will develop the character that old, comfortable jeans develop, but they will never take the place of my "different" jeans. They don't have the hammer loop on the leg!