Here I am in The Coat!
One day I tried on a coat at a yard sale, loved it, but thinking it was too fancy passed on it. That night I dreamed about it and early the next morning I knocked on the neighbor’s door and then it was mine. Shortly thereafter, it showed up on my writing practice pages with Anne, a San Francisco artist, in search of collage fodder, buying it at a thrift shop and The Black Velvet Coat was born.
As I continued to intuitively write, Sylvia, a beautiful blonde heiress, from an earlier San Francisco era appeared visiting Tiffany’s in search of something special to wear on her own black coat. She found a sparkly snowflake pin. “About the size of a silver dollar, it was almost as light as a real snowflake might be, but this one certainly wouldn’t melt. She squeezed it in her palm, the permanence comforting.” I rushed out to antique malls and searched until I found a snowflake pin to add to the collar of my own coat. Now I wear it all the time, even casually with jeans.
Do you too have a favorite yard sale or thrift shop buy?
Jill, I love that sassy picture of you in your Black Velvet Coat with its snowflake pin.
I know how stories can reside in things, which is why I always take my notebook when I visit thrift shops. My favorite pair of red suede pumps came from a second-hand clothing store, as did my very own black velvet coat. It’s “Chinese” style, lined in red satin.
Thanks for continuing to share stories about writing your book.
And you look oh, so wild and sexy in your own black velvet coat especially when you wear it with your red suede pumps!