Please don't buy this jacket!
Local. Recycling. Unique. Beautiful. You.
Go to Wasties!
I worked in New World in the Town Centre. They got everything there. They are in the centre. They are expensive. Everyone goes there, everyone has to do it, it's the only supermarket in town. It's organized, it's safe, it's open during the crisis. It's a safe job. Boring but safe.
But in my freetime, with old friends, with new friends, for excitement, if I don't know what I want or what to do. If I just want something cool. I come to you. Your staff is cool, unique, free to wear everything they want. You are outside of town. You're dirty, unorganized. Fucking cheap.
I worked at the old New World. I was thankful not to work in the New World opening a couple of weeks ago. Because the New World is more sterile, bigger and crazy modern. I would get paid there more. But some of my friends are working in the old New World. My Friends are coming to buy stuff in the old New World. Still, I have to wear my uniform. Check in by fingerprint. Have 30 min unpaid breaks. I'm normally getting outside to get some air.
If friends tell me about cool stuff they bought. It's from Wasties. If I have something I really like, it's from you! A Canadian shirt, I wanted for ages. A colorful hut, random people on the trail notice me after meeting for a second. Blue shorts, with broken pockets, I stitched three times. A helmet, a safety west. A guitar, because I want to learn to play it. A friend bought a book here for my birthday. Wool socks for the winter.
Everything I love, I want to keep, I want to bring home, I talk about with friends. Everything which makes me happy I got it from you. They make me unique, beautiful, making me be me. It's not expensive, just more difficult to get here and look for stuff but it's worth the time because it makes me happy.
I worked for New World but always wanted to work for you, being with the cool kids, for less money, less hours but more freedom, more friends, more more happiness, more fun.
The crisis comes. Friends tell me. You're lucky. You got the safest job. They asked me if I know if New World is still looking for staff. One friend, two friends, ten friends asked me for a job. Packing things in for money, or standing as a cashier hearing a beep, every second. Being a slave for money. Yesterday, I decided to quit! I'm not worried but finally free and happy. I went with a new friend to Wasties, we walked all the way there and back. He loved it and bought a heavy book with a beautiful picture for an art project. I will not change something but it will make him happy.
I wrote that text in the night at 2 pm in my diary because I want to keep these memories.
The next morning I woke up at 9 am, went to the kitchen of the hostel. My friends talked about visiting you before everything shuts down. One friend wanted to buy a specific picture of a naked lady, she had seen before for 25 $ but didn't buy. Now she was talking about it and wanted it. I want it too, not for me but for her as a gift, because she is and was my friend when I have had hard times.
But I waited for my tea and they went off by car. I was too slow for the present and sad. I went anyway to visit you with friends by bike.
I met my friends on the way, telling me that you are closed. I went anyway because I wanted the painting. I sat down in front of your gates, people telling me you're closed. I couldn't believe it. Not you! I was sad. I sat down and wrote. A staff guy came by. He is the Wastebuster guy, wearing cool stuff, is at every event, always active. I don't know him by name but he was always cool and an inspiration for me. He was different. This time, he came by in his van just telling me that you're closed. I said yes, I know.
Other friends came by. "Ohh, Wasties is closed. That's so sad. Mmm, ok, let's go to the grocery. Huh, it's cold, let's go back into the car." I don't want to go anywhere, I just want to be here and be sad.
It's the first time I came here and really know what I want. Not for me but for making a friend a bit happier to give back. I need to go and ask.
People were still working to close down Wasties, with music, happy. I had to give it a try for my own hope. I can just go there and ask, they can only say no or yes, because they are just humans and this is just a word anda chain around an area. I met the Wasties guy. I described the picture, told him the story, the price and that's for a friend and I would pay 50$.
We went in. No problem. We found the picture. We both didn't like it. It's ugly. He asked if I can pay by Credit card or Eftpos but my credit card was at the hostel and my phone was dead and I have no Mobile Data.
He said, I can pay later. Because he didn't change. I opened my wallet and found 25 $. I paid 30 $ because 5 $ doesn't matter to me for a gift!
I got the painting and was happy. I took it. It's hard to transport the painting on my bike. Impossible to ride in the wind, so I walked home. Thinking, it's worth it.
The Wastebusters guy comes by in his car again. He stops and offers me a ride. Bike in the back. Painting in the front. He drives me back to the hostel. His name is Cail? He has been here for longer than anyone else, I met here before he worked for Wastebusters for so long. I'm happy about the story. Showing me that hope and love is stronger than fear and if I want to do something with passion there is a chance.
I brought the painting to the hostel. My friends were surprised, happy and so was I. Not for the picture, but for the story and the moment.
I went to New World after. They are wearing masks and gloves there now and looking like aliens for me. I'm happy that I'm not working there anymore. My friends there couldn't understand. They look sad but they have a job and money.
Another shop open in town is Macpac. I met another friend on the way there to buy a jacket for the cold winter because they have 50% off. She has been there before but didn't buy the jacket last time. I told her, I would be happy to share my jackets, I have enough warm stuff. We went in. It's all plastic, expensive and dark products. I don't like it. She asked me if I like the jacket. It's black and boring, so I said no. I found a magazine laying around, called 1964. It looks cool, It tells stories about people and dreams and life. I ask how much it is. It's the only thing in the shop I would buy. It's for free.
My friend bought the jacket.
Don't buy this jacket!
Is known as one of the best advertisements of Patagonia on a Black Friday. Everyone knows Patagonia. It's a cool brand with cool stuff, made for lifelong and with some stories. I don't have any Patagonia stuff because it's too expensive but I like it anyway not for the stuff but for the stories, and their beliefs. The rest is just necessary to do so.
Please, before you buy something next time don't buy it just for you and for something but buy it for making you, me and others around you happy. Buy local, by environmental friendly but with purpose.
"Why buy two pieces of clothes when one can do the work for both" (Yvon Chouinard)
The Stories we wear! #wornwear
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