It was our first trip to Boothbay.
Harbor with sailboats, tour boats, pleasure boats.
Lots of eateries, shops.
Selling clothing, souvenirs, gifts.
Roseanne wending in, out.
Excited by a super soft sweater.
Billed as alpaca.
Knitted in Peru by indigenous craftspeople.
But instead of the expected llama, a graphic of a lobster.
Iconic symbol of Maine!
Roseanne spent time.
Trying on.
Checking out colors.
Her favorite, the dark blue with the red crustacean.
Reduced from $140 to $60.
A bargain for a warm, non-itchy garment.
So, it was a gift.
Her parents to her.
Transported in a special zipped bag.
To protect from moths.
Perfect for cool northern evenings, outdoor dinners.
Till she broke out.
On hands, face.
Wondered, could it be the sweater?
Turning it inside, out.
Reading a tag in small print.
15% alpaca, 85% acrylic.
Confirmation of her suspicions.
Allergic to acrylic.
Physically and ethically.
So, the comfy sweater from Peru
bought and gifted in Boothbay,
was regifted to her mother
to wear or give away.
Lynn Benjamin
August 18, 2023
