I was at a store that sells other people’s clothes and remembered two items of relevance. First, I remembered the importance of washing the clothes of others before you yourself wear them. The reason for my sudden recall was the gravity of the situation that I had read about, because the person didn’t wash their purchased yet used clothes and ended up with a nasty rash after wearing it for a day. The evidence demands a verdict, namely, that donated pants are not to be taken lightly, but soberly, washed with the hottest possible water one can find without burning them up.

The second matter that came to mind as I looked at used pants that I might buy was corduroy. It’s back, baby, and it’s better than ever. We’ve been going through a ton of family photos in the last few weeks and I couldn’t help but notice my own tendency to wear pants of corduroy in my elementary school photos, and that they were always brown. Always. Brown cords, smiling face, full, voluptuous hair.

Seeing them at a secondhand store gave me firsthand memories* and made me wish that they were available in my now husky size, so that I can relive the 80’s.

And seriously, who doesn’t deep down wish that their pants — or even their shirts — were covered in velvety cords, not just for special occasions but even for lounging around the house or at a nice mall.

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* thirdhand humor.