"The Shirt" - Niki Barrett

Memory of Big Tom

One one of Theresa’s recent blogs asked for people to share their memories of Big Tom. My biggest problem was narrowing it down..do I I pick the camping trip on 4th of July? The secret trip we took to buy Theresa a vase? The endless times we hugged where his role was to give the world’s best hug, and mine was to ask him for just one more squeeze? The trip to Sharper Image where he sat on a rocking horse designed to slim abs? In the end, I chose “the shirt”.

One weekend, Austin and I went to Houston to hang with Theresa and Tom. Sunday morning took us to breakfast at a cool, crowded place whose inefficiency in seating was completely outmatched by their phenomenal food. From there we walked down a cool street and went antiquing. Anyone who knows Tom knows how he loves to shop..and shop…and shop…this would make T crazy because he rarely bought. As an outsider, I found it hilarious.

This day was different. No one was in a hurry, and no one was impatient, and everyone was just cruising. Austin was searching for his endless “perfect beer glass”, and the rest of us were just hanging. Tom ended up in some funky vintage store and in the very back, found a purple classic western shirt. It was quite purple, and he loved it. They also had it in classic black. It was very expensive, and he just loved it. He tried it on for us in both colors, asking our opinion, but secretly hoping we would all pick purple, and insist he buy it. We did our part, and he did his.

Tom never got to wear the shirt. He got sick, and things happened. But for one day, Tom was so happy, and we were happy with him, and he was living with every part of his being. What a good example.

Love, Niki