The pandemic has brought
rise to many memories.
The year was 1963,
my freshman year at Keuka College.
We were given our class sweatshirts.
Dark blue with a white cartoon
drawn by our classmate.
The cartoon figure has a
comical grin across its face.
All classes were assigned
a mascot of a different indigenous tribe.
Four years we celebrated
the Mohawk Tribe, 1963-1967
I loved my sweatshirt and wore it often.
Marriage, career and children
eclipsed my dark blue Mohawk sweatshirt.
Fifty three years after graduation,
a zoom Class Reunion on the horizon,
we were asked to bring “a special reminder”
of our college years to the
meeting and share its story.
Searching my closet, I unearthed
my old sweatshirt. The sweatshirt now
tells a story of its own. Long sleeves
long gone, cut off and discarded.
Its once dark blue now a faded blue
and sporting white paint splashes
surrounding the little figure who has
never lost its inviting smile.
And, it still fits all these years later!
Holding my sweatshirt close to my chest,
I breath in memories of my Keuka years:
good friends, classes, teachers and
a campus on the shore of Keuka Lake-
any artist’s dream!
Four wonderful years then,
and now memories brought to a
new life through an old sweatshirt
that might have been considered
a rag by many, but brings joy filled
memories to my soul today!