New Suit
I'm wearing a new suit today.It was a conquest from my spontaneous visit to Beall's the other day. I don't know whether the term "bagged" crossed from hunting to shopping or vice versa, but I certainly felt the thrill of chase and capture as I furtively crossed the parking lot with my ridiculously inexpensive booty. Today I wear it as a scalp on my belt.
Our department notices new suits, and everyone who commented now knows how much I paid for it. Why does such a boast appeal? Or, is it not a boast but a defense mechanism against people who might think me irresponsible with money?
One of the scariest ideas to me is that someone I respect thinks ill of me or misunderstands any appearances. And so I explain and explain. I violate that initial respect by rejecting trust. If these people are my friends, they will trust my judgment and explanation is unnecessary.
So peel off the new suit and relax in the trusty old jammies. They've always been in that second drawer when you needed them.
posted by Lynn @ 8:04 PM
2 Comments:
"Spontaneous visit" to Bealls? Wait a second. I thought you said there was a one-day sale going on. The way you told the story, it sounded like a premeditated hunting trip. Maybe your showing up to the store was a lucky coincidence? Are you guilty of telling fish stories, Lynn? : )
You got me curious as to the whole "bag" thing, so I went to the OED. According to this reputable source, "bag" in the sense of "[t]o put game killed into a bag; also, to kill game (without reference to the bag)" was cited as in use as of 1814. The verb "sack" when denoting the same action was cited as occurring at least as early as 1838. But, the verb "sack" in the sense of "[t]o put into a sack; to pack or store (goods) in sacks" was found much earlier (ca. 1386) in Chaucer. So, I guess it's still a mystery. (And who knows whether this verb goes back to earlier forms of the English language?)
Oh, and I can assure you that my compliments on your suit had nothing to do with a curiosity as to the cost. So, fear no reproach from me when it comes to your apparel-procuring prodigality. Haha.
Hmm...do I explain my use of "spontaneous" or just trust that my friends will understand?
: )
Just to appease curiosity and in no way to excuse myself: I really hadn't planned on actually going to the sale until there weren't any parking spaces available at school. Remembering the sale, I headed west.
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