Cleaning out the closet

Cleaning out the closet
in the box
cards from
awesome people

in the corners
the guest pillow
I thought we had a spare somewhere.

In the middle
broken shoe rack
(shoes go in the box)
and my favourite socks
dirty from camping last summer
at Battleford
so that we could see the re-enactment of the Battle of Battleford.

Longlseeved dress shirts
when I had to work in an office
and had very little office clothing that wasn't
black or white.
Holdovers from bistro days.

The miniskirt I only ever had the guts to wear once
the night we met an old friend of mine for drinks
in a jazz bar
where my ex's brother played
in Toronto
hot
humid
night.

A skirt that never fit well, bought to wear with
a cream sweater set that
so wasn't me but
could be
if I wanted.
The night my Dad's wife and I went to the symphony to find out
it was really the
choir.

T-shirt
souvenir
from San Francisco
Awesome trip with my Dad.

Pants and shirts
memories
definitions of
who I was

The gal who worked at the bistro
serving wine
coffee
and finally learning how to shuck oysters
moonlighting early in the mornings at transcription
at my Dad's house
he usually made me lunch
which completely sweetened the deal.

Capris and matching shirts
bought for that dumb office job
where we weren't allowed to wear shorts
Everything coordinated
with everything else.
I had blue stuff
and pink stuff
and a mix and match that went with the cream
sweater set.

I seriously hated that office.

Finally black and white shirts. Another bistro-type job but.
But.
But.
Only worse than that even.
Food safety standards were shocking.
Steamed milk left to sit sometimes for hours, only to be resteamed and served
to unsuspecting customers
Oh.
Also,
it was scalded the second time around.
And when I asked where the handwash sink was
I was told I could use the staff washroom
which was down the long hall and up the stairs
I actually had to explain to someone that I
didn't have time to go up there every
damn time I made a caesar to
wash the clamato juice off my hands so as
not to
potentially
contaminate the drink of whichever customer might be next
who might not think
to inform the serving staff
of his or her lethal seafood allergies.
Seriously!
Some people are really fucking dumb.

I quit that job.

The shirt I love to look at but never wear
bought out shopping with mum

The other shirt bought out shopping with mum that I
don't want
to give away yet but
might
if the coolest person accepts it. I found it in Estevan.
For reals.

The yoga pants I picked up for dance,
for a potential costume,
that shrunk beyond belief. They're still awesome just
so
so
small!

A skirt I wore
the first time I went to church
when I stared at her legs
the whole way there
out of the corner of my eye.
I have some seriously attractive friends.
(MILF club?)

And 3 t-shirts that
aren't really on offer but
might
go to someone
3 t-shirts that I really love and
am not ready to part with
yet