Today I wrote on a pink post it note with a blue pen, something I’ve done numerous time in the last week or two—ever since I switched my green post it notes for pink ones, which was a BIG DAY—but today it reminded me of my soccer jersey.
When I was 7 or 8 . . . . possibly 9, I’m not sure, I played Orem Community Youth Soccer. And I thought our jerseys were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. They were reversible, obviously, as Youth Soccer jerseys are wont to be, and one side was shiny pink. The pink was the hue of Pepto Bismol, but more vibrant and rich. Definitely not a hot pink, and there was no purple in it, and it also wasn’t like a ballet or baby pink. Just rich pink. The other side was blue, and it was definitely a sky blue. And equally as vibrant as the pink. I’ve tried to re-create them to give you an effect, and I’m sure if I found my jersey I would be way off, but this is how I remember them.
The exciting part about these jerseys, though, was that the blue side was MESH. That means that the pink showed through, and you could see them both. I remember looking at it and squinting my eyes to make purple. The other good part about that was that the pink side was shiny, so when you were wearing the blue side, you would catch glimpses of pink when the sun reflected it.
I have some excellent stories about soccer, like how I was more interested in trying to swing on the goal post than tending it, or how I really liked practice, and kicking the ball against the fence in the backyard by myself, but once all those other girls (some of whom were athletic, unlike myself) were there, in an actual GAME, I got really shy, and how my parents starting bribing me with a dime for every time I kicked the ball to make me more aggressive, but now is not the time for those.
Now is the time to remember that I truly thought that jersey was the most beautiful thing I owned. I wanted to wear it as a normal shirt because I thought the color combination of the blue and the pink was so fabulous. And it was only that side that had such a draw for me. The pink alone seemed gaudy, and when we had to be the pink team the magic was gone. But on the blue side, I felt pretty darn amazing.
Has anyone had a similar memory trigger lately? And thought about something you hadn’t thought about in years?
Or did anyone else have those same jerseys? Do you feel me? Weren't they incredible?
6 comments:
I TOTALLY know that jersey.
there was this jumper I used to wear. it was homemade, by my mother, and it was horse fabric. I worse that jumper all the time. I LOVED HORSES. I pretended to be a horse most of my childhood. in fact I can make a very accurate sound with my tongue and lips of what a horse sounds like when they run. it's a talent.
I havne't thought of that jumper until recently when I Saw grace playing with a toy horse. and I Thought, "oh no."
um I meant, "I WORE THAT JUMPER..." not I worse that jumper. mixture of wore and horse. good thing that's the word that came out instead of other mixed alternatives. ha.
My soccer jersey was yellow and blue reversable. Not NEARLY as cool as pink! ( :
I never played youth soccer but weirdly i feel like i can relate. you have a way with words, and i love it.
Erin. I loved my soccer jersey, too. But it was not NEARLY as cool as yours. Mine was dumb yellow and white. But the mesh. Ah the mesh! Incredible. Thank you for bringing it back!
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