COVERING UP

“Are all these coats yours?” asks JP, my handyman, as he tightens the hinges on my front closet.

“Yes,” I say. Now that I look at them, there are quite a few--especially for someone who lives in Arizona.

Photo credit: prettylittlethings.us

“Why?” he says.

“Well . . .,” my mind scrambles to concoct a reason. “I hate to be cold,” I finally say.

JP shrugs his shoulders and goes back to work on the hinges.

“Coats never wear out.” I feel a sudden need to justify this closet full of coats. “This is the desert. I hardly ever wear them.” He’s seen the shelves of purses so he must know I have a bit of a problem.

“I have coats for working with the dogs. I have coats to wear when I go out at night. I have coats to wear when it gets really cold.”

“Hmmm,” JP says. He gathers up his tools and walks toward the front door.

Rats! I think. I’m pretty sure JP has always suspected I am a crazy old white woman and here I am proving it. Shut up! I tell myself. No more coats!

“I’ll be back next week to fix those shelves.” JP closes the front door.

I get ready to meet some friends for lunch. It is chilly today and we will sit outside because of Covid, so I will need to keep warm.

I pull out the blue wool. Too warm, I decide. The leather might do but it isn’t exactly right.

I picture a pink puffy coat. That would be perfect. I would really use a pink puffy coat. I would wear it all the time.

Maybe I’ll check out the selection online when I finish lunch.

© Susan Luzader 2022