Sunday, May 10, 2015

That Funny Reefer Man

Saturday, we went to Vivero La Vega, our favorite garden center (vivero) to restock the terrace now that the cyclonic winds of winter have passed... and the bugs of spring and summer have returned. While shopping, San Geraldo pointed out a couple of shelves devoted to the successful maintenance of cannabis plants. The garden center — and the cannabis — made me think of My Mother The Dowager Duchess.


Why
In 1974, my parents went to the spring arts show on the Promenade in Brooklyn Heights. My artsy mother bought a few things, including two silk-screened T-shirts. One shirt was for me, she said, and had a repeating pattern across the chest and back of nude male and female silhouettes. Very cool.

Being the ultimate gardener, The Duchess picked up what she called a "botanical" T-shirt for herself.

"A beautiful leaf pattern," she said as she showed it to me.

I smiled.  "Mom, that's pot."

"It's what?" she asked.

"Pot," I repeated. "Marijuana."

"What's another word for that?"

"Cannabis?"

"Oh!" she blurted. "When I went to pay, the artist was really pleased and said, 'Oh, you're buying the cannabis shirt.'

"I had no idea what she was talking about, so I just smiled and said, 'Yes, I love it."

She thought a moment and then said, "Well, now I can't wear this. Here, you take it."

1974 NEW YORK: WITH MY NIECE ERICKA AND
THE DOWAGER DUCHESS'S MARIJUANA SHIRT.

26 comments:

  1. Love this story! Then you had two! And your mom's t-shirt fit you!? Oh right, I remember the style back then when everything was tight tight tight!!!
    Is weed legal in Spain? Or was that shelf of supplies for hemp plants.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jim:
      In 1974, I weighed all of 130 pounds. The T-shirt was snug but it fit. Spain's cannabis laws can be very confusing but it's legal to grow your own for personal use in your own home.

      Delete
  2. Replies
    1. Michael:
      My mother still feels "stupid" about it. I loved it then and I love it now. Nothing stupid about it. AND... I got TWO shirts.

      Delete
  3. Wearing your mother's T-Shirt in style!

    My Mom's closes were just too pearls and kitten sweaters!

    LOL

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    Replies
    1. Ron:
      It's not something I did very often... well, that was the only time. My mother didn't have kitten sweaters, but still.

      Delete
    2. Please excuse typos here Mitch ~ meant to put a smile on your face!

      Delete
  4. What a sweet thing for you to do!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ms. Sparrow:
      How great to see you HERE! Yes, I'm a very sweet guy (uff!)

      Delete
  5. Replies
    1. Laurent:
      Oh, the secrets I share at the expense of others. So fortunate that I myself have so rarely done anything embarrassing.

      Delete
  6. Oh, that is hilarious *LOL*. Hilarious!
    Ditto Jim's question... is pot legal in Spain??

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    Replies
    1. Judy:
      And ditto what I told Jim... It's legal to grow your own in private for your own private use. You can't sell it. And there are a whole bunch of other restrictions, but it's many steps in the right direction (although the last time I had any was when I still had a full head of hair)!

      Delete
  7. How funny that she thought it would be appropriate for you to wear it but not her! I think my Mom would have burned the shirt ...

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    Replies
    1. Wilma:
      My mother didn't approve but she was adjusting to her hippie son. Besides, she couldn't possibly burn a perfectly good (and not cheap) shirt.

      Delete
  8. that is a fun tale
    The MJ products on the shelf look like 'jokes'

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Spo:
      Kind of like the SNL song from the '70s "Look for the union label" (when you are buying a joint, lid or pound)... the American Dope Growers Association.

      Delete
  9. I can picture my mother doing the same thing! too funny!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bob:
      I wish I still had that shirt... only in a larger size.

      Delete
  10. My nephew has just accepted a position as a general manager of a medical marijuana plant in Illinois. Times change!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Linda:
      I wonder if that artist is still making those shirts. It could be the uniform!

      Delete
  11. You look fantastic in 1974

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gosia:
      Thanks. I don't know if I'd say fantastic, but I did look "young."

      Delete
  12. My own mother wouldn't recognize pot either. Funny story.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Stephen:
      And I'm sure they're both very proud of that fact.

      Delete
  13. Chiming in so late on this one, but I have to. 1974 was a great year for me--I was born in it! Oh, how I wish I had that shirt! I was so square (and religious) in my younger days, and have never imbibed. Maybe someday! At least I'm a little gone on Vodka as I type this...oh, so carefully. Love the song!

    ReplyDelete

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