Things I've Lost or Another Trip Down Melancholy Lane

Popular thought states that if you've done alright without something for 18 months, you probably don't need it. usually this pertains to clothing... Yet, I'm placing my own unique spin on it and not apply this theory to clothing. I've recently "lost" my storage locker and all my belongings therein. I kept a storage locker for nearly 2 years. The storage locker had a rental fee of $100.00 per month, which I just couldn't afford any longer. Among those lost items were nothing that had any real monetary value. The only value was emotional. It was my stuff. It was hand-me-downs, basically, nothing more...

Very masculine. Very butch. Very me.

My leather motorcycle jacket made in Pakistan. It was made of 25 point leather and it felt as though it weighed 25 pounds. It was given to me by a friend almost 20 years ago. The jacket was apparently abandoned by a former co-worker of this friend and she had the foresight to save it from a trip into the dumpster. I enjoyed wearing that jacket. It looked great. I cleaned it once a year and kept it looking good. And I looked good wearing it, too. Very masculine. Very butch. Very me. I wore the jacket all the time from late summer through mid-winter. Unlike many of the other leather folk whose leathers only came out of their respective closets for various leather events in SF, like Folsom Street Fair or Dore Alley or the Leather Nights at the old Renegades on Stockton. But over the years that it was in my daily care, it was beginning to show it's age. The pockets had deteriorated and could no longer function as pockets. Then the lining deteriorated and the insulation fell out of it. Perhaps it's best that it's gone because I'll be able to get a new jacket for less than it would to refurbish my Pakistan jacket.

There was a matching credenza and night stand that I got from my friend Ottah, just before he moved to the District of Columbia. The credenza, made of pressed wood with a plastic like wood veneer, it was about six feet long with a cabinet at each end with three drawers in the center. The matching night stand was chocked full of black octagon dishes a service for four with coffee mugs.

Years ago I bought a remnant from a closing JC Penney store. In it's previous life this item was a glass display case for picture frames. When I acquired it, it continued being used as a functional display case. Standing 5 and a half feet tall, save the plastic connector clips that supported the shelves and back, the remaining components- bottom, top, sides, rear and three shelves of the case was made entirely of 3/4" tempered plate glass. My audio equipment and sound mixer as well as my library and other glass objects d'art were all housed in my glass case.

With the advent of home CD burning, my black Pioneer double tape deck saw little use, perhaps someone can find enjoyment with it now. Another JC Penney's piece was a display three panel screen and wicker basket filled with clean T-shirts and old pairs of shorts. A ginger jar like lamp was given to me years ago when buying storage locker contents was better than going to a yard sale.

I don't regret many things. but I do regret losing my hand-knitted Granny Square styled crocheted afghan that my Mom made for me, a good 30 years ago. I also had in my possession my brothers' afghan- it was my intention to send it to his wife as a gift- a sort of peace offering. Well so much for regret.

Material things are temporary. I just hope that someone or many someone's may get some use out of my belongings... And maybe pass them along too.

So Sayeth Das Behr