My Standard
Banana Yoshimoto
“Matching Shirts”
Supima Cotton Crew Neck
Short Sleeve
T-Shirt
Selected by Banana Yoshimoto
Banana Yoshimoto
Novelist
Born in 1964 in Tokyo. Graduated from Nihon University College of Art with a degree in literature. In 1987, her debut novelKitchen was awarded the 6th Kaien Newcomer Writers Prize. Her books have been published in translation in over thirty countries. Her most recent novel isFukiage Kitan Episode 3: Zashikiwarashi.Collections of her essay column “Dokudami- chan to Fushibana,” originally published on the web magazine note.com, are now available in paperback editions.
At one point my older sister got so sick she was hospitalized and
needed surgery.
I bought her all kinds of baggy clothes, so
that they wouldn’t rub against the scar.
While I was shopping
at UNIQLO, it crossed my mind that my sister might be wearing these
clothes in the last moments of her life. I pulled myself together,
telling myself, “Either way, the best you can do is find her
comfortable clothes that won’t bother her scar,” and really took my
time picking things out.
My sister usually wore a women’s
small, but the large clothes looked just right, under the
circumstances.
I wondered if a men’s medium or large might suit
her even better.
While I was at it, I found myself a new
T-shirt.
Matching one of hers.
When she was discharged
from the hospital, she gave the super baggy items to her male
friends, but held on to the ones that fit her loosely, which she
continued wearing after getting better.
The black men’s Supima
Cotton T-shirt that I bought myself has become one of my favourites,
like a second skin.
Usually it takes repeated washings and
extensive wear to make a T-shirt comfortable, but this one felt good
right away.
Sometimes I wear it business casual, under a suit
jacket, and sometimes I wear it as pajamas. It’s become a part of
me. When I reach my arms through the sleeves, I always think the
same thing. “So comfortable.” It’s nothing special, but I would
never want to live without it.