STORIES

    A week so ago I bought a suit.  It brought back some memories.  When I was about 11 years old.  I had been delivering newspapers and saved enough money I could buy my first new suit.

    I had talked to my Dad about it, because he always wore suits and I thought he would know what kind of suit I should buy.  We agreed that I would come to down town after I had delivered my papers.  So this young lad got on a city bus and went to town to buy a suit.  I was excited to say the least.  I went to the County Court House where my Dad was working and then we  went to Spiro's Men's Shop and he helped me pick out my first new suit.  I remember the salesman telling me that suit would be good enough to go to Washington D.C and visit the President.  And that the President would be proud of me for wearing such a nice suit.  Of course I got a new white shirt and  tie and new cordovan dress shoes to go with it. I was as proud as a peacock.  I had bought it all with the money I had earned.

      There was a sign on the wall in the store, which I have always remembered. It said "Suits do not make a man, but when he is made they greatly improve his image".

      Little did I know that that sign would help change my life, but it did.

When I got home and took that suit out of the box and put it on I got oh's and ya's from the rest of the family.

      Sunday go to meeting clothes was an expression that was used quite often in those days.  You don't hear it much any more. But, I could hardly wait until Sunday when I could wear my new suit. It really made me feel good.  I wore that suit to Church every Sunday and put it in the suit box after I wore it to keep it nice.  However, one Sunday when we got home from Church, I being a typical young lad put that suit and my new shirt and tie on top of my dresser with the intent of putting it a way later.  Well, later never came until the next Sunday and I put it on.  You guessed it. It was all wrinkled and looked a mess. I wore it to church and I could hear the snickers and laughter every where I walked. I was really down, my brother, Howard suggested I ask my Mom to press it for me and then taught me how to hang it on a hanger, he explained to me that clothes look best when they are taken care of properly.  He said that even though I could go to see the President in that suit.  It was more important to wear that suit to Church and present your self in your Sunday best at worship and to wear a wrinkled suit to Church was not presenting your self in a manor fitting to worship the King of Kings.  You can do better than that, he told me.  I told him about the sign in the store.  He said he had seen that sign many times,  it meant you needed to take care of your clothes too.

     When I became a business man, suits were very important to me. And, because of that sign and my brother explaining a few things to me I tried always to present myself with a good image.

    Some of the lessons we learn early in life some how stick with us over the years.  This is one that has stuck with me.  When I took off my suit today after we got home from Church and was hanging it in the closet, this memory came to me.  Thanks for listening.

John

Storytelling adds substance to names and dates chiseled in granite and keeps memories alive.