Phoenix weather chills … jackets bring out history

With Phoenix temperatures dropping into the 30s for lows and 50s for highs the past few days, Valley residents are digging out their jackets. And within the pockets of those jackets many are finding reminders and memories of the last time they were worn.

Just last night, I was running to the grocery and put on one of my light jackets for the first time this winter season. Inside was a reciept.

Today at work numerous co-workers had found the same. The mother lode was found by Chrystyna, who had all kinds of stuff from her trip last year to California discovered in her coat pockets.

She acted like a kid at Christmas as she pulled FIVE receipts from the pockets of the coat she last wore on a trip to Universal Studios. Those included her movie ticket to Black Swan ($7); Universal Studios ($74);  Starbucks ($6.30); and the Pub ($19.73).  We laughed as she recouted the memories and our friend Tony likened it to finding a time capsule.

Jamie found this St. Michael pendant in a parking lot years ago. She was about to move from South Carolina to Arizona and her c0-workers were having a going away lunch for her. One of her co-workers told her to keep it as it would protect her in her travels.  She said she put it in her coat pocket that afternoon and left it there. She found it again just the other day as she does each year, and it reminds her of that special afternoon with friends.

Finding things in your pockets, even something as simple as a receipt, invokes a memory. Usually a fond one. A simple pleasure. It’s good.

When you pulled your jacket out for the first time this fall or winter, did you find something in your pocket?