Pants

I knew it was coming and I thought I was prepared for it. The cold weather. Well, not the cold weather itself, that I can deal with. I have purchased numerous coats, sweatshirts, and boots. Waterproof boots, because I know what a Chicago winter can be like. The slush, the ice, the cold feet. I stocked up on undershirts and long sleeve shirts. Like I said, I thought I was prepared. And then the cooler weather came. Not cold, bitter Chicago weather, just cooler weather, and I discovered I was not mentally prepared. Not mentally prepared for wearing long pants day after day. For twenty seven years I wore shorts exclusively. Maybe I wore long pants for a total of twenty days in all that time. The thing is that in Florida I would bundle up for those rare fifty degree nights, and pull on a pair of long pants. Other than that I was Mr. Shorty. I love the freedom of shorts, so easy to unbutton and sit relaxed in my big fluffy recliner chair. Now I am condemned to wear these long, uncomfortable pants until next May. Maybe that's why I moved to Florida in the first place. I had an unconscious hatred of wearing pants.

1989