Color You Gifts

I got a "thank you" in an email for some leopard print tights I sent the lovely Jane for her birthday. She's part of my New Zealand family. My nephews are kinda of "use only black or blue ink" sort of fellows, and I'm more a box of 54 Crayolas." Leopard print seemed a lot more fun than plain black, although much less practical and useful. In the end, I opted for fun.

I felt a pure splash of joy when I read Jane's note. Here is an excerpt:

When I was 4 I had a pair of leopard skin tights, I loved these tights and wouldn't have traded them for all the barbies and candy in the world. They were my absolute favourite, I wore theme EVERYWHERE, playdates, pre-school, to bed, outside, inside, rain, hail or shine. They were worn out at the knees and in the butt, but I didn' care, I loved them. I remeber waiting at the dryer in the laundry room so I could put them straight back on after I reluctantly let my mum wash them. Oneday on returning home from pre-school I went to put on my favourite pair of tights, but could not find them anywhere, not in the drawers or the laundry basket or the washing line or under the bed - they were no where to be found! On asking my mother she guiltily said she wasn't sure...Sometime after this I was in the car with mum when I noticed a bag on the floor to be delivered to the Salvation Army clothes bin - through the white plastic bag I spotted the leopard print which I loved so much. Obviously I dragged the tights out immediately and was allowed to keep them for sometime after this. A few months later they officially started falling apart, I halfheartedly allowed my Mum to throw them out, but it was a sad day, I might have to check with mum but I am almost certain I cried!

Now onto your present, 20 years later I feel the tights have come back to me, full circle!