“Oh gosh, he must be a religious man.”
Somebody said that snidely to the fella beside him as we went to get in our car to head home from work.
“At least, you sure do have a holey short,” the remark this time directed to our attention.
Initially a bit self-conscious, we soon figured out that again we’d worn a hole in our shirt sleeve, and nodded a grin at the idiosyncratic, but chiding accusation.
It doesn’t seem like a cowboy with an office job, spending most working hours every day at a desk, would ever wear out a shirt. But, that’s not the case. Our white long sleeved, snap, cowboy-cut shirts never last as long as those we have for ranch work.
Holes readily wear into our shirtsleeves, usually the right one, from having our arm on the desk, as we’re typing at the computer or talking on the phone.
A person really only needs a handful of office shirts, but when we went to put on a clean one the other morning, there weren’t any without holes in the sleeves. There was one dirty shirt, with a good sleeve, in the clothes hamper to be washed.
Making comment to the washwoman about the predicament before leaving, there was a clean, hole less shirt ready to wear when we got back for supper.
But, it really was the only white dress shirt that hadn’t worn through in the sleeve, so mail order was sent to get new ones. While Grandma and our mother-in-law would have darned the hole, we now just wear the worn shirts for chores.
Not only do shirts wear out, but we put on sweaters now through mid-spring, because the office always has a chill to it. Sleeves in several sweaters have been worn through, too.
Contrary to the remark that could have been taken complimentary, our holiness can be questioned, but we do have holey shirts.
Reminds us of Exodus 28:32: “A hole is in the center of it,” hence Exodus 29:29: “The holy garments shall not pass to descendants.” However, First Thessalonians 3:10: “There is a time to mend and make good whatever may be imperfect.” Yet, Second Kings 25:29: “Clothing is there to replace the worn garb,” so Hebrews 1:12: “Someday, you’ll fold them up and replace them.”