One of the things I write a lot about is civilization, what it took to build and maintain it, and why we’re losing it. But we’ll get back to that, because you know I’m going to take a circuitous route to get there. That’s part of the fun – the getting there.
I know I write a lot about downtown Brownwood, but on this Cinco de Mayo festival day (actually Seis de Mayo) Danielle and I packed up all my cigar rolling gear and paraphernalia and headed just west to Coleman, Texas for the day. The weather folks were promising harrowing weather for the evening, but the day was nice as we skirted the downtown traffic barriers and set a course for Coleman.
Our first stop when we got to town was to drive by a house we’re buying in Coleman. It’s been a long time coming and we’re getting close to getting it done, but that’s a story for another day. Then we went to Scotty’s Pub and Bistro there in Coleman and had a few cold draft beers and some lunch. The nice waitress lady said “Don’t you run a bar?” Well, that’s a funny story. Y’all stop in to Scotty’s when you’re in town and tell them Bunker sent you. They have a nice outdoor seating area and good cold beers to drink in the sun.
Then we drove over to see my good buddy Wes Myler who runs the Bonneville and Bonnevinyl mid-century stores in downtown. I ended up buying a swell mid-century modern floor lamp, and was happy it fit in the car with all the cigar rolling stuff. As always, I had fun visiting with Wes and whenever you are in Coleman, go by Bonneville because you will NOT be disappointed. Bonneville and Wes feature in my new (but still unpublished) novel NOWHERE, NEW MEXICO.
We headed over to the Museum to set up my rolling station, and then did a little more shopping in town. Stopped by Odd & Company, also there on Commercial downtown, and bought a flask for $5 and then we skirted over to the T-N-T Liquor store and bought a bottle of Yellow Rose whiskey. Gotta have whiskey in my flask for the Kentucky Derby.
So now (as is my way) we finally arrive at the point: The CHAPS Derby Day benefit and party at the Coleman Museum was a fantastic event, and for a lot of reasons. First, it raised money for the Museum, and it did it so well they were able to start painting the museum even before the event. Second, it encouraged people to dress up to go to a party, something I highly recommend. There is something to the ceremony of dressing appropriately for an event. It’s something our civilization has lost. A year ago, the Old Jail Museum in Brownwood had a 20’s event and Whiskey Tasting where people were encouraged to dress in the 20’s Jazz Age style. Danielle and I bought clothes just for the night, and we thought that we’d be the only ones to go to the trouble. I figured people would be there in tank tops and crocs, just like they dress up to go out to eat. But, I was surprised that so many people get into the spirit of things and dressed for the night. It changed everything! We had such a wonderful time.
Same goes for the Derby Day party. It was great fun seeing all the sun dresses, big hats, and summer suits. I was so pleasantly surprised. This – a return to civilization – is a form of time travel that is available to everyone, not just those of us professional time travelers. The jazz band out of San Angelo was really, really good. People danced. It was fun! We all stopped to watch the Derby, and people really got into it. It took me back in time to the 70s when, as a young boy living just not far across the river from Kentucky (in Ohio) people really got into Derby Day. I remember watching the festivities and thinking, “Man, I can’t wait to grow up and go to a formal party and wear a nice hat.” Things were simpler then, but back then we still had a civilization. Wall-E hadn’t become a real thing.
So, my point is. Why don’t we do more of this? Once upon a time, dressing down – dressing rebelliously – involved trying to shock the mainstream of civilization by flouting its norms. Today, the norm is what we used to call underwear. Perhaps, then, by definition, dressing up is the new rebellion. It’s a thought. Every one of you thinks you’re some kind of weird, quirky, rebel. But you’re probably not.
You could be.
I remember in December of 2019, Facebook and all of social media was full of people sending around memes of the cool suits and dresses of the 20’s. People were saying, “This is the way we’re all gonna dress in the 20’s!” Then Covid hit and everyone decided to live in their pajamas and flip-flops forever.
Why don’t we start dressing up to go out? Hey businesses, how about you have events where you encourage your clientele to come dressed for the fun of it? Why don’t we bring back Jazz parties, and Swing Dancing, and Cigar Nights? Maybe doing this will be a big shot fired at the devolution of civilization and the long slouch towards Gomorrah, and to do it we just need to start having good and proper fun again. Maybe, and this is just an idea, we don’t selfishly dress for the backyard when we go someplace nice, but we think about things bigger than ourselves, like the future we want to leave the children. Maybe if the young people see us starting to have fun with our more traditional roles, it might rub off on some of them?
Just a thought.
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Michael Bunker is a local columnist for BrownwoodNews.com whose columns appear periodically on the website.
