Thursday 12 February 2015

Odd socks

photo: SeppVei
It's time to buy socks again. Almost every day another of my socks gains a hole and gets thrown out but I never end up with odd socks. A few years ago I decided that I really only ever need black or white cotton socks. I have no need for Argyll, or bright colours and, like most men, I prefer not to wear socks that appear to have an identity crisis: toe socks who seem to wish they were gloves, or socks posing as stuffed animals. Anything cute or unusual in fact. I want people to say "Here comes John", not "Here comes John's socks".

So I began to buy socks in bulk. It is not only much cheaper but on laundry days I never have to ponder that mystery of what happens to socks that seem to vanish in the wash. One comedian speculated that socks vanish into a black hole only to reappear later from some white hole as clothes hangers. Nor do I have to waste any time in matching socks that come out of the dryer. I don't even have to bundle or fold them in pairs, they all get unceremoniously dumped in the sock drawer loose and I just pick two singles.

I also believe in recycling or reusing and I will always have a few holed socks that serve nicely whenever I polish my shoes. Life holds far more interesting mysteries than "Whatever happened to that other sock?
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2 comments:

  1. Anonymous12 February 2015 at 11:58

    Hi John, My younger daughter always wears odd socks! She even buys packs of single socks - yes you can buy them! She is well known for her odd socks (and brilliant mind). My son (also brilliant mind) now does the same, yet I have an ever-increasing pile of odd socks (my mind just plods along). I'm sure there is a connection with brilliant minds and eccentricity, I wonder if I wore odd socks ... I do like the idea of using them to polish shoes. Trefor (The advent of Jersey coins coming to Cranfield is close!!!)

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  2. John Hooker FSA12 February 2015 at 14:11

    Hi Trefor,

    I find it odd that in a pack of 24 identical black socks, the socks are folded in pairs. Why not sell packs of 25?

    Good news about the coins -- I'm hoping for randomly selected staters each with their recorded position within the hoard.

    John

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