The Wager

Donor & Donor Julie* had initially gifted this sweatshirt and a pin that stated “I LOVE CATS” to Donor, Receiver, & Proofreader Brian*. Somehow in conversation the next day, Brian and I arranged a wager. He bet me a transferal of ownership that I would not wear the sweatshirt and pin. I proved him wrong many times over now.

The astute reader would be right question why this shirt is credited to Julie if it was Brian’s shirt at that point. This shirt was more hers to give at that point because she had worn it and spent money to acquire the shirt. Neither of which were things that Brian was able to accomplish over the period of a night. At the time, we knew that we had to confirm with Julie whether or not the arrangement would have her blessing. It did.

A Definition Of Manhood

This sweatshirt wades into gender theory by defining manhood only as expressing a strong preference for domestic cats. Obviously, I know that the statement was issued for humorous effect and profit.

Nonetheless, based upon the qualifications of this shirt, my indifference towards cats will forever keep my stuck as a tween ⇒. My admission of apathy must grant me a year or two. I should hope that not hating ensures that I have grown up at least a little bit.

The admission of feelings is a stiffer de facto test of masculinity. In short, Western society does not encourage men to express feelings in public. To do so is understood as a show of weakness. Maturity is required to know when and how to express aggressive feelings when he has to in public, and to only let out the raw and or tender emotions in private. Indeed, if a man truly loves cats but never expresses so then he is the true pussy because he is afraid of himself.

Two Cents

A bold statement is bound to induce strong interpretations. Generally, women and guys with senses of humor react positively to this sweatshirt. Quite a few times, this shirt has proven to be a conversation starter. Macho men grimace visually and sometimes audibly. Dog partisans of all stripes also tend to take minor issue.

This sweatshirt does fit a little snug for a large-sized shirt. I will not allow myself to be remiss by not providing this context. I do have other clothes that a little tighter, but those articles do not have a message that seems to resonate with other people.

Popular Sentiment

This dossier has proven to be the most popular of all the dossiers throughout the various archives. I guess people have a need to look at a picture of a shirt that expresses something that they feel about masculinity.

Reclassification

The first person that contacted me about Free Shirt Archive (“FSA”) that I did not know personally or as a friend of a friend was Receiver Eloisa* from Canada. She contacted me through the Free Shirt Archive Twitter ⇒ asking me for this sweatshirt or if I knew where one could be purchased. I decided to send out the sweatshirt as a prize for being the first person to ask.

Sending this shirt out was the first time that I had ever mailed anything to Canada. I mailed the sweatshirt first class through United States Postal Service ⇒ (“USPS”). I found out that first class postage through USPS puts an item on the slowest line through customs on the way through Canada Post ⇒. In the future, I know now to send through another courier.

So ended my ownership of this shirt and its reclassification to the Peoples’ Free Shirt Archive. I initially took over ownership before creating the Less Than Free Shirt Archive. Thus, there was a time that this shirt was classified within a nascent FSA even though compulsory wear is a form of payment that is repugnant to the idea of free.