Yirko in Chains, Still

It is oft said, that there are Smiths lyrics for every occasion. In this instance, these hail from Accept Yourself, available on the album Hatful of Hollow. Morrissey whines in one verse, “Oh, but plans can fall through (as so often they do) And time is against me now...”

So true Stephen Patrick. My coworker cancelled on me because I hemmed and hawed about our mall adventure, in light of our current financial meltdown, so no Chow King, no Banana Republic or H&M for me. If you count being stuck in traffic as a time killer, then yes, time was also against me.

I hummed that part repeatedly.

It’s just as well, I took a different route home, which brought me to my neighborhood, via The Grove on Fairfax. The Grove is what happens when you slam down Main Street Disneyland onto an open oil field in the middle of Los Angeles. Instant Multi Cultural Shopptertainment, (multi-culti-sho-taint? Sho nuff). These days, if you show up at the right time, it snows soapsuds at The Grove, perfect for your cozy dry clean only cashmere sweater that you got on sale at the Nordstroms Don’t-Let-The-Recession-Scare-You-Off Sale.

Here’s what we know – things don’t make us happy or complete. In fact, the things we own quickly own us. Still, I bought a black moleskin coat at Banana Republic knowing this and yet, I left feeling transformed. I felt so integrated with my coat. It was as if the coat and I were pressed from the same die. This pressed fit feeling helped me to see something I had been making myself blind to – The GAP makes slouchy clothes that are designed specifically for citizens who wear a big protective wine barrel underneath their clothes.

I went to the GAP after the BR to further help out the economy, but became horrified at the realization that I am not a GAP kid after all. I thought I was, but I had been fooling myself all along. They make clothes for people with more generous BMI (Body Mass Index) than me. Not a big surprise right? Maybe to someone in GAP-aholics Anonymous or GAP-anon. They don't have those in L.A. GAP clothes are too baggy for me, and I’ve been spending my time and money getting my GAP pants altered in the keester to fit me better.

For much less and money and effort, there are better fitting pants out there, all over the place, well made too. I paused on my way back to the Mega Garage, wondering, what other simple truth have I been blind to that’s right in front of me.

A threshold crossed does not have to be large to be significant. I can't even begin to imagine what my new eyes will see. Perhaps I will be amenable to safari print post-its and purple Nike Airs?

Then someone turned the volume back up on Accept Yourself, which had apparently been playing on loop in the background and it reminded me,

“Anything is hard to find when you will not open your eyes.”

I thanked the coat, and remembered once again, whenever I think I’m alone, the Smiths will always be there to guide me.


*****

Here for your listening pleasure, is the song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAxpvw4qOZQ

Thank you, I love you, truly