I bought it just to throw away but when the time came...

I laugh sometimes at my frugality (frugality being a polite way of saying I still have the first dollar I ever earned and you’re not getting it).

While preparing for the 2005 Boston Marathon I was told I’d need to buy some throw-away clothes.

Not in the habit of buying clothes just to toss out a window, I asked why.

“The buses that take you to the start line leave early, and the race doesn’t start until noon. So, you’ll be sitting around a long time. It can get cold.”


["Throw-away? What's a throw-away?": photo GAH]

I grasped the idea that I’d need warm ‘waiting around’ clothes, but why throw them away?

“Once you’re called to the start line you might not have time to take your extra clothes back to the bus. And thousands of people choke every street. Just throw them away.”

(What, the people? No, the clothes).

It made sense, to a degree, and it was nice to hear that a charitable organization cleaned up the route afterwards and donated all the throw-away clothes to a worthy cause.

So, I bought a lovely, warm, hooded, throw-away sweatshirt, got to the start line at 8 a.m., waited, waited, took several pee breaks, warmed-up, tried to snooze, was interviewed for the Jay Leno Tonight Show by Bobby from The Sopranos (my clip ended up on the editing room floor), and... because I had a marathoner’s speed, strength and stamina and knew exactly where my bus was parked, I took a little side trip before I was called to the start line.

The hooded sweatshirt is now an important part of my tasteful workshop ensemble.

It’s always dusty, but there ain’t no dust on me.

.