Of T-shirts and potbellies ..!
Robert Clements
He looked awful!” said the wife returning from the hospital where she
works. “Who?” I ask. “Your cousin! The air-force guy!” Now since quite a
few of my cousins are in the air- force all through the example of an
over zealous and patriotic uncle,
who regaled us with tales of air devilry and World War Two exploits,
many in next generation followed suit, so next question to wife was,
“Which one?”
“The old one!” “He retired twenty years ago!” I tell her, “Why’d he look
awful? Was he sick?” “He was wearing a T- Shirt!” “Ah! I say, “He
shouldn’t be wearing a T shirt at his age?” “Nothing wrong with his
age,” says the wife patiently, “He shouldn’t be wearing a T- shirt with
his potbelly!”There’s something about a T Shirt and a potbelly, the
twain don’t mix, and yet I see more men with bellies wearing one than
those who deserve to sport such casual wear. It’s like you’ve been
wearing formal wear throughout your life, white shirt matching brown
pant matching maroon tie, shirt tails packed neatly into flat tummy, and
one day when flat tummy ain’t no more flat, tie, shirt and pant are
thrown aside and on comes the T- shirt. “What size sir?” asks man at
sportswear store. “Large!” “Might require XL sir!” “I’ve always bought
large!” “Ah but it shouldn’t be tight round the stomach should it sir?”
“Let it be!” And so tight round the belly it is and loose round the
shoulders and loose round the chest and so very loose round the neck.
What is it that makes us middle aged men go in for what youngsters
should be seen flaunting round in? Maybe there’s nothing else to wear! I
mean here we are finally taking it easy and wanting to show the world
we’re taking it easy and what better expression to show we’re taking it
easy than donning a T- shirt.What about a kurta? “Hey cousin, what about
wearing a kurta?” “I saw your cousin at the hospital has he joined
politics?” asks the wife the next day.
“Cousin!” I call him later. “What’s it Bob?” “Get back to your T Shirt,
better you look old and pot bellied than people think I have relatives
in politics..!” So it’s back to T Shirts it is, old fat and retired but
what the hell’s wrong with looking old fat and retired?—Email:
bobsbanter@gmail.com |
