My Grandfather's Shirt

Today was no profound court drama, nor was it a day full of intense negotiations with insurance companies and opposing counsel.  No, today was just a regular day in the office getting work done.  Except for one small thing:  today I am wearing a shirt that once belonged to my grandfather, C. Dennis Yarborough.  Of course I didn't call him Dennis; my name for him was Pawpaw (and for the record, if I get to choose what to be called when it's my turn, I want to be a pawpaw, too).

Pawpaw was an accountant at Independent Life in Jacksonville for most of my childhood, which meant that business attire was a must.  Once he left the business, he had all these shirts that he no longer needed, so I became the proud owner in shirts like the one pictured above.  Hopefully you can see the slight tattering around the collar and placket, proof that this shirt saw many late nights of loosening the tie for the hard work that lay ahead.  There are similar signs of work around the cuffs, and the bottom front of the shirt is frayed just a bit wear I assume his belt hit.  The shirt's not winning any beauty contests, so it never sees the florescent lights of court.  But I love this shirt for the tale it tells.

We lost Pawpaw early this year, and it's strange to visit Jacksonville and not see him and listen to his jokes and guitar.  There are so many things that we used to do together that I miss, things that I reflect on when I sit on the porch or watch a football game.  Incidentally, he used to take me to University of Florida games back in the late 80s and early 90s, so I'll always be a Gator in his memory.  We hiked in the Smoky Mountains, went canoeing in North Carolina, and played tons of music together.  But then there's this business shirt.

I never really knew Pawpaw's working side.  I may have visited his office once in my lifetime, and all I remember is that everyone knew him and knew me even though we had never met.  He wore suits and ties just like I do now in my practice, but that's really all I get from his professional life.  Now here I am alone in my office with his shirt on, and I can't help but to feel Pawpaw's here with me.  It will always be his shirt; I'm just borrowing it because he doesn't need it right now.

The frays and checks in the shirt tell a story that I don't know, but it is his story.  I may not know what he did in his office all day, but he's here in my office right now thanks to this shirt.  I will always miss Pawpaw and wish I had more time with him.  It seems wearing his clothes has at least allowed me to work alongside him today, and for that I am grateful.

JD

John D. Duncan is president of J.D. Duncan, PC, founding partner of Prater, Duncan & Craig, LLC in Newnan, Georgia, and is Esquire by Day.  You can find him at www.jdduncanlaw.com, or follow him on twitter and Facebook.