paisley

my father didn't take me shopping for clothes
not much
when i was a kid, sometimes
sometimes he'd take me to sears and buy me jeans
mostly
mostly, though
there were female relatives
and then my stepmother
and, of course
sometimes my mother would take me

but
today
i'm thinking
about this dress he bought me
i think it was after i went to live with my mom
i think
we went to memorial city mall
we went to a store i don't think i'd ever been in before
a dress shop
and
i got this dress
i don't know why i needed a dress
i can't remember

maybe it was some sort of right of passage
maybe

it was paisley
several layers of semi-sheer fabric
slightly pleated all over, i think
sort of tone on tone dark burgundy wine
with hints of deeper plum
paisley

it was totally inappropriate for a girl my age
but
i had picked it out
i loved it
and
i thought i looked good in it
must have been 1977 or 1978

i'm not sure i've had anything else
paisley

but
i really like paisley