But the weather was nice, so I decided to get out of the house with the boy and get my mind off things. We spent the day wondering around Harvard Square, having Pinnochio's Pizza for lunch, and a cookie afterwards. ( For those who don't know, Pinochio's is the greatest pizza on earth outside of Italy. Which only makes sense, since those guys are from Sulmona, my grandmothers hometown. But I digress...)
On the way back to the car, I see a sign pointing down an alley off Brattle Street that says "Christ Church thrift store open". Of course, I can't resist any thrift opportunity, but the prospect of a charity thrift in the Protestant church right next to Harvard is particularly compelling.
As I thought, the place was jammed with 3/2 sack suits from the Harvard Coop, Rogers Peet company and the like. Nothing really my size though. And then I find these:
The real 'Nantucket Reds', made from actual sail cloth and faded to the perfect shade of pink, exactly my size, from none other than Murray's Toggery Shop.
The price chart on the wall says that men's pants are $4. No problem. When I bring them up to pay, the kindly women at the register says ' I have a gift for you. We're going to let you have these.' This being a church charity store, I insisted she take my money, but she was having none of it. Finally I said, ' You'll never believe it but today is my birthday.' She said, 'Well then, Happy Birthday.'
Sure I'll have to wait till June to wear them, but what do you want for free. I'll certainly be returning next week. After the morning I had, that little random pick-me-up did me a world of accidental good.
