Pinstripe Overalls

I bought pinstripe overalls 6 years ago and they hung up in my closets over many places; Phoenix, Wisconsin and Iowa. They lay untouched and hung up almost like a museum art piece that produced a million memories and emotions just by looking at them. This may seem pretty crazy of me to be thinking of overalls in such an obnoxious way but I promise there’s meaning. Pinstripe overalls are what my best friend used to wear every day, give or take the blue jean denim ones.

This is going to be a tough write for me so bear with me, I need a windshield wiper for my eyes.

Pinstripe overalls are more than a clothing item to me.

It symbolizes jumping in the back of Grandpa’s grey truck and loading corn, pumpkins, gourds, etc into old laundry baskets.

Memories of selling produce from the farm in you and grandma’s basement for the town.

Hugging Grandpa and smelling the mix of sweat, Busch light and farm chemicals.

It means walking into the front door on N Williams St and hearing “hey goofy” with the biggest grin that I hope never leaves my memory. My first tattoo was “goofy” that’s on my left wrist, a name that I haven’t been called since you’ve passed.

Pinstripe overalls means mischievously giggling because of the latest prank you pulled or one that we came up with together.

Those overalls make me recall an early memory of you in the truck and us driving to the green pony shed when I was young. You got mad at me because I was secretly counting all of the times you swore on a notepad and shared it with the family later that night. That number was pretty close to 100.

Pinstripe overalls haven’t left my memory since you’ve left my life 8 years ago, I want to remember you in those overalls where you made me feel so loved and carefree. You’re the reason I can banter so well with others. No matter where you went you drew a crowd because of how full of life you were.

I put those pinstripe overalls on for the first time today for work, it felt like the perfect moment even though I never intended on wearing them. I felt full of life again today Grandpa, I felt so proud to carry a piece of you around with me through the day. I wore these overalls and you know what happened? People who knew you brought you up. They told stories of you. How the doctor told you to wear better shoes instead of your old work boots and when your friends caught you walking in town with your overalls rolled up with your new white sneakers on… they honked and shouted to you about your shoes and you gave them the finger.

How I wish that you were still here with me on Earth. That you could meet my son whose smile makes me happier than I ever thought. How I wish that you could just shake Jesse’s hand and he could have heard one of your famous stories. That I could tell you all of the adventures I’ve been on and you would probably call me crazy with a shake of your head. Although you aren’t here Earth side I know I still feel the mark you left even years later. I miss you, Grandma misses you, we all miss you.

I will continue to wear these pinstriped overalls rather than hanging them up for no one to see besides me. Thank you for being such a good grandpa and for being my buddy.