A Brown Shirt
Brown Shirt “You know I love you,” he said, hand poised in mid-air. “I love lots of people,” he added, his eyes bright. “We are friends,” he said, “and I love you.” He loved me like a brown shirt. He loved me as if there were 15 others in his closet, just waiting to be chosen for the day. He loved me like an egg white omelet, a Monday morning, a hazy day. “Is this also how I love myself?” I asked. Do I love myself like a Tuesday afternoon, a turkey sandwich on store-bought bread, black work pants, a re-run on a weeknight? His brown-shirt kind of love seemed to only reflect my own. - Jenny James