PATCHQUILTS AND BRAIDS AND SUEDE PANTS


From my high school boyfriend, written in ____

Dear _____:

It's like coming in from a cold windy day an sitting in front of the fireplace with foggy glasses, and it's like running through the park on the first day of summer laughing and pretending to be a caveman. And it's really like yellow flannel pajamas just warm out of the dryer. It's patchquilts, and braids, and suede patches, and sleeping with a baby puppy the first night you get it. Like opening a brand new Charles Lloyd album, wearing new Clarks on a Friday afternoon. It's like seeing a best friend for the first time in three months and not saying a word for at least five minutes, just grinning. It's like finishing your third beer at the beach and noticing your nose is sunburned.

It's like going to a party with a bald head wearing red tennis shoes and an itchy foot moose tee shirt and asking the ugliest, plimply girl to dance and she's a really good dancer. It's like giving a bum a brand new pack of cigarettes when he asks for just one. It's like throwing a touchdown pass in a Marshall football game and listening to the people cheer.

It's like getting your last swat before becoming a Hogan and then putting on your medallion while your butt still stings. It's listening to Joni Mitchell and crying from happyiness

Thinking about you
And nothing else.
Loving you is curled toes,
Wool sweaters,
Green velvet
Plaid ribbon
And a check stretching smile.
Loving you is simply
And incredibly
Boss.




the love letter collection