I once had a wonderful neck tie: yellow silk, covered in Chinese dragons. It was a Christmas gift from a Chinese colleague. Any gift you receive in China, a country that doesn’t celebrate Christmas, is special. I loved said tie, both its attractiveness and the sentiment behind it. When I had a suit tailored last year I was convinced the suit would look “killer” when worn with the yellow dragon tie.
On the first afternoon of my school’s Parents’ Days I donned my new charcoal-gray suit. I looked good – It had been $125 USD well spent. A hanger in the wardrobe held my small collection of seldom worn neck ties. I searched the mythical silk covered in yellow dragons. It was nowhere to be found.
I started to panic. Where could it be? The laundry hamper? Nay. Under the bed? Nay? In the pocket of my overcoat? Nay.
It was gone: Almost as if I had made the dragons angry and they had fled back to dragon mountain to pout. In the dim recesses of my mind I had a recollection of wearing the tie during a drunken trip to a seedy bar. As I imagined the bartender of the establishment wearing my purloined garment and I shook my head with disgust. My own stupidity had been the cause of the loss. No good comes from drinking.
I wore a different tie during the Parents’ Days. I didn’t look nearly as sharp or as spiffy as I would have with yellow, dragons-emblazoned silk hanging down the front of my shirt.
Fast forward: Two days ago.
I took my wrinkled and seldom-worn suit to the dry cleaners. A trip to Beijing required some smart duds. As the shop owner wrote up the chit I scanned the racks of clothes. On a hanger, near the front of the store, was a collection of truly ugly ties, save one. The dragons, my yellow dragons, winked at me from the silk.
My mouth agape, I looked at the wonderful garment. How did it get here? Had I misremember my drunken loss of the tie? I cleared my throat, ready to claim my prize, but stopped. My knowledge of Mandarin would allow me to voice my claim but explain little else. I needed someone smarter, someone that spoke both English and Chinese. I retired that night with dreams of dragons and silky yellow clouds.
The next afternoon as I walked to work I spotted said needed smart person: A colleague returning to campus after lunch. She accompanied me to the dry cleaners. After a half-assed explanation about why the shop had my tie it was folded neatly and placed in my bag.
When I hit Beijing on Thursday, my body covered in handsome, tailored garments, the lost tie will be the jewel in my fashion crown. Serendipity? Perhaps. Dumb luck? More likely. I have resolved to no longer drink while wearing said tie.
Here endeth the case.
Wow. There are more ties and suits mentioned in this story than I’ve owned in my life.
Craig Ferguson´s last blog post..Urban Nomad Last Day @ Taipei
That is one seriously cool tie!
Shawn´s last blog post..Still Around
Laughing at Craig, I wish I could say the same. Seriously, no drinking? Folly I say!
Expatriate Games´s last blog post..A Day at the Opera (Liuzhou Style)
Unless you count the clip-on bowtie that I had to wear when I worked as a bartender, I’ve never had a tie. And the only thing approaching a suit I’ve worn was a tux that I rented for a high school formal.
Craig Ferguson´s last blog post..Urban Nomad Last Day @ Taipei
Craig: I don’t often wear a suit – Over the last 4 years, other than my wedding, maybe three times. Ties I collect, but only (butt) ugly ties.
Shawn: Is, isn’t it.
Michael: Folly indeed. As I type this I’m planning a post-work libation.
Craig: I too had a clip-on bow tie from my days as a waiter at a Chinese restaurant. My years of self-employment left me with several ties.
Stevo´s last blog post..Inspector Stevo and the Case of the missing neck tie
Stevo, you missed the moral of the story completely… it’s not “don’t drink when wearing the tie”, that borders on blasphemy.
It should be, drink as much as you want, just make sure to be wearing the tie when you drop off your dry cleaning… and wait for the receipt… 😉
R(etc… )
Ron in L.A.´s last blog post..Long Train (Not) Running
I love that tie!
I think you should resolve to use a more honest dry cleaner!
Corina´s last blog post..Cinco de Mayo
Ron: As always, you are the voice of reason. I will make that my credo.
Corina: The dry cleaner is okay. I respect any man who spends most of his time sitting in front of his shop in a lawn chair, sleeping.
“this my tie was lost, and now is found!” 🙂 Nothing like a way spiff tie.
thelittlefluffycat´s last blog post..Important Information!
LFC: To quote ZZ Top: Every girl’s crazy for a sharp-dressed man.
Well, especially when they have long white beards. You have a long white beard, right?
thelittlefluffycat´s last blog post..Important Information!
LFC: Only when I play Santa at Christmas. I guess I’m sharp one day a year.
better’n NO days a year! 🙂
thelittlefluffycat´s last blog post..Important Information!
LFC: You make a valid point.
So glad you got your tie back. It is a stylish tie, and clearly the dragons are powerful. No more tying one on!
ybonesy´s last blog post..PRACTICE: Feet & Toes – 20min
that is a pretty good looking tie. i’d be upset to lose it too
nomadicmatt´s last blog post..The Weekly Photo: King’s Canyon
yb: Yes, no more.
Matt: Only lost temporarily. Tis mine again!
Stevo | China Travel´s last blog post..May Day, International Labor Day: Raucous celebrations
It is a great tie.
I don’t have any crazy theories, but I’m glad it came back to you.
amuirin´s last blog post..Thoreau’s Ant Battle
what a hoot!! i am glad you found it.
Jessiev´s last blog post..Foodie Finds: The Best Pizza in Chesterton, Indiana
Heah your silky yellow Tie , covered with dragons is too good ,its really dazzling .You really had a wonderful Christmas gift.I am happy that finally you could get your favorite Tie.Finally I liked your realization that No good Comes from drinking , its really appreciable.
Hey!! That seems a real cool tie. I liked it. Looks different with the dragons in it. I wanted to buy a trendy tie suiting my requirement, and this seems very much meeting my needs. I would want to own this for myself.
.-= TomHolmes1945@Home Bar Ideas´s last blog ..How to Stock Your Home Bar =-.