My Mother's Robe

My Mother's Robe

Philadelphia, PA

1965- 2017

In 1965, my uncle completed a tour of duty in Viet Nam.  When he returns to the USA, he gave this robe to my mother. Maybe she wore it a few times but not much more than that.  Some years later, she gave me the robe and I carried it with me as I moved from Philadelphia to State College, to Williamsport, to Jenkintown and then back to State College and then to Stroudsburg and Springfield and finally to Carpenter's Point. And I never wore it, not even once.  I just hung on to it.

In 1997, Stroudsburg High School Theatre group was performing The King and I.  At the time, I was the principal of this school. I offered this robe to Betsy (below), the costume coordinator for  the play.  She loved it and then I told her that it once belonged to my mother.  At the time, my mother was very sick with cancer.  When Betsy heard that my mother was sick, she was afraid to borrow the robe.

"What is it gets damaged?"

"I don't care," I told her.

"What if it gets lost"?

"I don't care," i repeated.

"It's too valuable.  It belonged to your mother.  Surely, you want to hold on to it."

"Nope, I want to get rid of it.  I am giving this robe to you.  I don't want it back. And why don't you take it when the play is finished.  It looks beautiful on you."

Betsy wouldn't hear anything I had to say.  She was too uncomfortable with the robe.  So I brought it home and let it hang in my closet for another 20 years.

Then in 1 2017, I visited Betsy and her husband in her new home in Montana.  They have an outdoor sauna. When I returned home I decided to seize the moment.  I mailed the robe to Betsy as a thank you gift for her hospitality.  She had to accept it and it still looks beautiful on her.