My Frugal Husband's Straw Hat

By

Otis P Driftwood

Looks like a perfectly fine hat to me!
With plenty of fine memories in it, too.
Well, dang...I guess it's gone forever.

Many years ago a friend had some boots that he just couldn't part with. These were the very cool "Dingo" harness boots that alot of men wore in the early 1970s-- heck, I had a pair myself. My friend had his boots re-soled many times, but the uppers were completely shot. They were scuffed, cracked, and discolored. His wife was really getting on him about buying a new pair and he would always tell her, "What? Why? They're just broke in! They're super-comfortable right now...I'll wear them 'til they quit."
Well, his wife had a plan.
One day she talked him into wearing a different pair of shoes to work, leaving the boots behind. He got home from work and opened a cold beer, ready to relax in front of the TV.
And there they were. Enshrined in plexiglass. His favorite boots were on top of the TV. A diorama of sorts. Mocking the expiration of his beloved footwear was a tombstone reading: "R.I.P. Bruce's Boots." There were also rocks at the bottom of the case, along with a small sign in the back said "Boot Hill."
He got a big laugh out of it-- and he got the hint, too.
He went out the next day and got himself a new pair of-- guess what-- "Dingo" harness boots! After all, now he had no boots-- and a man with no boots is, well, bootless. And being bootless ain't too cool.
And he wasn't about to break open his wife's artwork-- that wouldn't be too cool either!
:-)

By

cindy3305

haha to funny, my sister lives in Elgin Oregon

By

Jantoo

Great story, great photo. I like the duct tape too. He could've gone witha nice clear tape, but I like his choice of the traditional gray.

By (Guest Post)

I hope that you were able to replace it with one that was very similar:0
Harriet

By

Debbie52

TOO FUNNY!!!

Is that duct tape I see on it? Well you can't say he didn't get the use out of that old hat, now can you?

Was he upset when he found it went missing?

By

Glenn'sMom

Actually he had been telling me to "get rid of that hat when I'm not looking" because he knew it needed to go but didn't have the nerve himself. He was raised in the depression and can't bear to part with something that still has some "good" in it. Yes, that's duct tape!! He even wore this hat to town...lucky for me we live in a very small country town and lots of the other guys had hats that looked just as bad. I sure do love that ole duffer. (The man, not the hat!)

By

Deeli

I hope your hubby doesn't read ThriftyFun and finds out what happened to the hat ;-) LOL !!!

By Reality Check (Guest Post)

You should probably go through his underwear drawer at the next possible opportunity! :)

By

Bonnie V

He must be related to my husband, who'd say this hat is still good enough for fishing or working in the yard or some darn thing. He wouldn't be ready to part with it either, just like your husband. Tough trying to keep the clutter at bay with guys like these, isn't it?? More power to you.