Memoirs of an Amnesiac

An aunt wouldn't accept my hand-me-downs because they came from "ukay." I kept reasoning with her (like a merchant who hasn't had sales for the day) that though they were "preloved" items, they are for sure branded and therefore of good quality. I also made mention that I really have good taste in clothes for she would not have asked hand-me-downs from me. I was fuming mad later on when at the height of my explanation, she said, "I'd rather buy the Taiwanese kind rather than wear those clothes that came from some god-forsaken land or probably from the dead!" Tsk. I never knew beggars can be so choosy.

I was lucky enough to have met someone who shared the same passion for preloved items as my close friend now. We've probably been to the most-visited "ukay" chains in Cebu. We love jeans, not really the branded kind but the kinds that fit just fine -- not too loose nor too tight and we prefer them with dissections, cuts and slices. Besides, we wouldn't mind so much the rather informal get-up. With 200 to 500 pesos or so, we get more than our money's worth. We also scoured through the hawkers in Lapu-lapu City for preloved shoes. Anyone who's into preloved shoes knows quite well how much those hawkers in Lapu-lapu are making huge waves in their business.

My friend and I are a perfect pair when it comes to preloved items. She knows just when a new store opens or when it will go on sale while I am the expert in haggling. Sometimes she'd comment how much of a "kuripot" person I am when I start my haggling stint. One time, I sort of rubbed it on her when I saw her winking on the "tindero" while trying to bargain for a lower price. And for the life of me, I couldn't stop laughing afterwards for the "tindero" actually gave her what she bargained for.

Come dusty or far places, we scout for preloved items. I think more than half of our salary is spent on preloved items. You could say we had developed a somewhat distaste for the brand-new clothes and shoes. All clothes would eventually be preloved soon anyway.

I don't know if this would turn out to be an obsession since we are also trying out books at Book Sale now. We are starting to invade not just clothes and shoes but also books! I was just thinking that maybe we ought to stop manufacturing clothes and shoes, putting into mind the many silk worms that need to produce silk, cotton fields that have been most especially in demand and poor leather made from authentic animal hide. I wonder why we can't just recycle those clothes that are just basic and so fashion-free.

I don't care whether that aunt of mine would accept my hand-me-downs. I can always give them to someone else who wouldn't mind them being hand-me-downs.

As for my clothing preferences, it's not so much the clothing that is worn as for the one who wears it anyway.