October 14, 2006
Royducord
Posted by bopuc at October 14, 2006 10:22 PM
This afternoon, Boris zipped into downtown, to return a pair of heavenly soft flannel black wide-set chalkline pinstripe slacks because, frankly, he just can't get into slacks. Even though they were a size too small, the feeling of nakedness was all a bit too much like walking around, well, naked. And besides, it made him feel like a dad. His dad, more particularly.
He also realized they were far to expensive to have been a sensible purchase for him in the first place.
Standing at the cash he decided to not only return them but instead exchange them for another pair of the much cheaper Corduroy pants, the exact model were bracing his hips at the time. When you find something you like, get two. He'd get credited for the balance.
Finding a pair on a rack placed in such a way as to indicate they were not particularly hot sellers, he got close to make sure it was indeed the same black color as the beloved pair he was wearing. At first glance they weren't but comparing side by side, they were. And to him, they seemed a deep "almost black" gray.
"Oh if you'd like we just got in some new pairs, these ones in black!" exclaims the sales girl.
"And what are these?" asks he.
"Oh those are the navy blue."
Navy blue? ... Funny, now that she'd mentioned it, here under these fluorescent lights... Though in all honesty, he would have sworn, in the light of the sun--and the light available in his apartment--these pants had seemed more a very dark shade of brown, which had always bothered him a bit.
"Here's a 32! try them on!"
"Oh my, yes... these are black." he thinks. Truly black. The light just falls into them. They are a black hole in the shape of pants, though he suspects the only thing that will be sucked into them is cat hair, duvet feathers and dust. :p
"These are nice." he says, having tried them on, "Narrow cut, softer material... more snug. I'll take 'em. Thanks."
Corduroy's etymology, corde ru roi in french, though in french corduroy is "velours côtelé" (ribbed velour), is something to do with "King's Clothes." This has always caused a cognitive dissonance for me with "the Emperor's new clothes." Sort of like how when Joe waved his hand backwards over his head last night and said "it's all water under the bridge" when he meant to say "it's all behind us."
Comments
Ah yes. The battle of the slacks. Don't give in! Once you give in there's no going back. Then it's slacks and sport jackets... and it's all down hill from there.
-KC
Posted by: KC at October 15, 2006 05:20 PM
but there are many sides to a hill
Posted by: karl at October 15, 2006 08:08 PM