I dig through the pile of things thrift-store bound

A collection of never-minds confined in paper bags.

There’s my leggings with a hole in the knee

A slightly squished hat which I examine, shake out, and crown myself

Some ugly sandals (glad somebody’s getting rid of them)

A purple swimsuit cover-up which wasn’t needed in the first place

And a soft gray shirt with an elephant on it.

I grab the shirt

It’s not joining the sad party in the paper bags!

I remember my mother putting on the shirt

I remember wishing it was mine

Now it is mine.

Now I have the elephant shirt!

I say that it will be my nightshirt.

I love my elephant shirt!

I take a shower and put it on that night

Floating in happy happy visions

Of that elephant in detailed white lines staring out from its vantage point on my stomach.

I put it on

It’s so much bigger than I thought it was

All my elephant dreams pop like bubbles

The hole where the head should stick out like a lonely tree

Has become a swamp, and I feel silly stupid.

I whip the shirt off,

Crumple it

Frown at the too-big neck-hole

And put it away from me.

Thrift-store shirt once more.