The Disco Shirt

[jeriendhal]

My dad, when he was alive, was a fairly conservative person. Not in the modern Republican sense, but in the sense that he didn't see much point in changing things that worked or doing anything wild. Didn't experiment with food, didn't mod his car beyond all recgonition, didn't make wild extravagant purchases, didn't get any tattoos and didn't wear anything really wierd. Most of the time when he wasn't wearing a suit for some function he relaxed in chinos and a collared Izod knockoff. He didn't even own a t-shirt with a printed image on it.

But one Christmas, I think it was 1978, he got the Disco Shirt. And he loved the thing.

It was made of rayon, with black and purple squares of varying sizes outlined in silver. John Travolta wouldn't have been caught dead in it and even Elton John would have had to seriously think about wearing it. It was garish, it was silly, it was age innapropriate, and my dad loved it to death. He owned for over fifteen years and wore it to practically every family occasion I could remember. I'm still not sure if it just wore out or Mom finally convinced him to burn it.

It's nice sometimes though, to remember him wearing it, and realize that in his own way my dad could be as wierd as his strange son.

Comments

[badasher.livejournal.com]

You and your dad had a lot in common. He was so blasted laid back sometimes I expected him to fold over in two. LoL! I respected and liked him. I feel that he had another side to him though. He picked his battles, not choosing to sweat the small stuff, but I am sure he stood his ground firm when it came to something important.

A good man.

[guardianphoenix.livejournal.com]

I don't think I've ever seen this Disco Shirt... I'm sure there must be photos somewhere (:

I was just thinking about him yesterday, and I do think he was "weird", in his own way (but aren't we all?). I remember Thanksgivings and thinking about what an interesting family we all were. And, of course, how Grandpa always used to make witty comments about everything. As a kid, it made me laugh that we'd be eating our formal dinner and having conversations that were completely inappropriate. We really were a unique bunch, and I do miss him.

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

Ask our mom about it. If she doesn't have any photos she'll surely remember it.