When my luggage didn’t arrive in Houston a few weeks ago, I could have very easily done the obvious and gone to pick up a change of clothes and whatever else I may have needed…
Instead, I decided to take it as a challenge.
The United rep handed me a small package complete with a toothbrush, toothpaste and deodorant, so my essential hygiene products were immediately procured.
As far as clothes, I was wearing sweats, a Let Them Play Orange dry-fit-shirt, compression shorts, compression socks, a pair of casual wear shoes and a True Diamond Science hat.
My first test was that night when we went to Pappas Bros., a high end chop house in downtown Houston… I ditched the hat and appeared somewhat presentable with my skinny sweats and LTP shirt, but let’s be honest, when you drop 600 bucks on dinner do they really give a f*ck what you are wearing?
That night, because of course my silky smooth sexy PJ’s were back in SF, despite my kids rousing complaints, I didn’t have much of a choice but to sleep in my birthday suit…
I tried to explain to them that God obviously intended us to sleep in the nude, otherwise we would all have been born in onesies. Duh. 🙄
The next morning, I needed to get my run on so I debated ditching the sweats, but because the compression shorts are much like underwear and can be rather pickle revealing, I decided it would probably be best to go with the cover up in Texas.
It also just so happened to be 98 degrees out, so by the time the run was complete, it seemed as if I literally had jumped into a swimming pool fully geared up.
Ironically, I actually did meet the kids at the pool immediately after the run, and this time shamelessly stripped down to my compression shorts and dove right in.
Meanwhile, I was able to lay my socks, shirt, and sweats in the HOT Texas sun, giving them a chance to quickly dry.
By the time I floated a couple times around the Texas shaped lazy river and laid out for a few minutes, the entire outfit, including my shorts I had just swam in, were good to go.
I then suited back up, went upstairs and sprayed my gear down with some of my wife’s perfume (just in case there happened to be a lingering sweat or chlorine odor)…
Then, it was off to watch the Astros get loose.
After the game, we got back to the hotel and the entire family was a bit giddy about the entire Houston experience so far.
The seats were ridiculous (courtesy of our dude AJ), the Astros scored 21 runs and Orbit the mascot took a selfie with the us… What more could we ask for? 🤷♂️
Then, it happened…
The phone rang.
The entire room became silent.
I knew what they were calling about, but for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to answer the phone. Instead, I walked into the other room softly touching my multi functional uniform which I felt like had now become a major part of me…
Sure, it would be a nice luxury to have access to an entire suitcase of dope gear, but for whatever reason, I just felt like the clothes I was wearing represented a much simpler and more versatile version of me…
The clothes I was wearing represented accountability of actions and acceptance of consequence…
The clothes represented the fact that sometimes in life, less can be more, and a hell of a lot more efficient…
We all have the ability to take a minimalist approach, yet most of us are so f*cking consumed with accumulating more and more shit that sometimes it takes losing a suitcase for us to realize we don’t need any of it… Including the silky smooth sexy PJ’s. 👊
The kids eventually answered the ringing phone then cried out from the other room…
“Daddy, your suitcase is here, your suitcase is here!!!!”
“Cool… Tell them I’ll pick it up tomorrow. I already got my uniform on.”
–EB