The Cowls

… came home with a boatload of a beautiful bulky alpaca wool mix from a sale Karen had told me about and wondered what next…   So I started on cowls because they cut a cheering dash and I always think they also really work in the cold. Nor do they get caught in your spokes and that's appealing not just to me but to some of the other people around here….

... I heard a radio interview about a new music and gift store with a policy of welcoming local craft and I downed needles and headed with sample cowls straight to their store. Could I leave them with them a while?, they asked.  They're lovely, perfect for boyfriend/girlfriend seasonal gifts, be back very soon, they said....

... rushed full of optimism to top up on wool only to discover the sale was over and the store was all out of that yarn.... still some left in another store but at full price... which didn't entirely succeed in dampening my excited prattle about how knitting was all back in vogue as I paid.. And I was almost  -but not quite - at the point of fond reminiscing on the glory days of oversized bobble sweaters to the knee, when the saleswoman remarked (in a very goddam jaundiced tone) (I felt), 

"Nobody ever got rich from knitting"

(whew)(for someone who was supposed to understand)

...and she looked over my shoulder at the next customer, who I strongly sensed was throwing her eyes to heaven at the folly of some. 

A few days of extreme cowl knitting later, and still nothing back about my samples, so I called back to the store. And they returned my cowls with apologies and great respect, but explained that their business backbone - scenesters - just don't have cash - in my heart I suppose I knew this already.  On a good day, the guy explained, I just might make a profit of around three euros from the cost they could realistically ask for me.  I'd rather give it all away to the homeless than take three euros for a long day's work, and I'm aware how lucky I am to be able to say so. 

Unknit wool is piling up the walls of my daughter's bedroom, but I suppose I'll get through some of it before she gets back home on a visit or moth season strikes again.