Note: This is part of an anthology of short and sweet stories that skip some of the details and get right to the point. If you want more exposition, see my other stories outside of this set.
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"LET'S GO!" my wife yelled from the front door.
We were late to meet with her brother's family for dinner. It was just one of those chain sit-down restaurants, nothing fancy, but I had forgotten about it and was only now getting dressed. "Shit" I thought, as I realized I was behind on laundry. Rooting in the back of my closet, I found a pile of "never wear" t-shirts, and blindly grabbed one as I pulled on my jeans. Running down the stairs, I put it on and was ready.
"Nice," said my wife sarcastically as we hot stepped it to the car. "Thanks for dressing up."
Looking down I saw I had grabbed an old shirt from my youth. "I Choose Bush" it said, referencing the former president. Laughing to myself, I thought back to those years and how times had changed.
Arriving at the restaurant, my in laws had already sat down and were waiting for us. I got along fine with my brother-in-law, Joe, although his wife was always cold to me.
"Are you serious?" Joe said looking at me smiling. Over his shoulder his wife, Jane, rolled her eyes. "Why do you even still have that?!"
"I know, I know," I said, trying to downplay it, "Fashion is not my strong suit."
"Who even is Bush?" my teenage nephew asked.
"Only a president, idiot!" his sister sneered, mocking him.
"Oh, yeah, I knew that," he replied, likely lying.
"Look, we've already ordered," Jane interrupted, "Can you guys just sit and I'll flag down the server?"
A few moments later, the waitress arrived, pad in hand and a bored look on her make-up free face. This was probably a summer job for her, as she was young and slow with her description of the specials. I noticed her nametag, almost hidden beneath long thick curls of black hair that waved over her shoulders and brushed around the cleavage she allowed to show in her tight tank top. It read "Molly."
"So, what'll you be having tonight?" she said to my wife.
I started looking more closely at the menu. While I did so, I felt the eyes of our waitress staring at me. I looked up.
Her face had brightened a bit and she asked with a nod to my chest, "Is that, like, really true?"
"Well, ok, I mean, it's an old shirt, and a lot of people don't really like Bush now. But, yes, at the time, I mean, really still, I stand by my choice!"
Groans came from the grownups at the table. Joe, made a guffaw, "NO one likes Bush these days!"
"Well, I still think Bush is just fine!" I shot back, a bit more defensively than I intended.
Jane was not amused, but an intrigued smile crossed Molly's face. Looking at my wife, she said, "And you are ok with him wearing this shirt out in public?"
"He's his own man," my wife replied. "Bush is not for me, but I am fine with him choosing whoever appeals to him most. As long as he doesn't talk about this stuff around the house, he can do what he wants."
"Really?" said young Molly, a bit startled "That's...so open-minded of you!" She gave me a bemused look that lingered for an awkward amount of time.
"Can we please get this dinner started?" Jane interjected.
I placed my order, and the waitress winked at me and went on her way.
"I bet she isn't even old enough to remember when Bush was president," my wife laughed.