Yellow Ties

Yellow Ties

Back in the 1990s I had gotten through college--a four year degree--I felt that that was a good way to achieve the goal that I had, my family as well, to have in case of contingencies: to always possess that in my back pocket so that no matter what other failures or travails in my life that I would have that baseline, a backup in case all else went to ruin.

I wanted to work in television and film; there are plenty of stories how that does not work. How dedicated, talented, or lucky was I for that life? You do not need a college degree for it. I knew there were no guarantees in those dreams. There are not many guarantees anywhere, right? Best to have a degree. Between my parents and me we made this work.

I worked quite a bit as a youth and I was able to save enough money to pay for a two year mission. I had leftover money from that excursion to South America, and that was used to begin college, and then my father helped the rest of the way.

So, this is about yellow ties.

When I was working towards means to make money and/or the career that would or would not work out, I sometimes worked in an office. Wearing a tie is good in such situations, including some television and movie gigs that I did land. My agency got me them.

I think I wore my own clothes a small handful of times for the brief days that I was filmed. And, I just might have wore a yellow tie a couple of those times.

Later when I moved away from that dream and the industry of film, giving up on that trajectory of work and aspiration, I found myself in an office where I would wear ties. And later as a teacher, I found it appropriate at times. I did some other office jobs donning ties where they came in handy, it was appros pos. Yellow is professional, yes.

Yellow ties, some purchased or gifted to me... I felt more than the other colors that this color of tie signified "work", "success", "winning" in some corporate sense. It made me feel that I was wearing the uniform of business, the office, and building something... If not paying into the social security taxes of alone, for some far off retirement down the road.

I collected a few.  Ties. Some of them yellow. And as time and circumstance has its way, I lost a few.

Recently on Martin Luther King Day I was at a thrift store and I saw a few smart looking ones. Yellow ties. I work in an office now, and I am moderately successful. I saw them and I desired them. Four bucks, four ties. No one at my work will know that they were this cheap (unless they read this). They look powerful.

I said to myself and my family members: the man with the most yellow ties wins. We purchased four. Different variations.

I am 49 now. I have given up some hopes and dreams and acquired others.

I spend a large amount of time in an office environment, not always, but mostly.

I dress for success, and sometimes my confidence matches my skills and experience, and dress.

I now have a substantial amount of yellow ties, thanks to last Monday.

I am dressed to succeed, and fortune will follow. This from the guy who saved his money to serve a mission, get started in college and earn that degree, who dreamed to exist among the artists and worked a little in the entertainment industry.

Yellow in the ties leaves one here and there. Moving on to greater things.

My dad never had yellow ties in his workplace. He was blue collar. He would wear ties to church, which was good for me to see. He has published books which may lead to television and film. Perhaps for those occasions he will wear the yellow tie.

I will, however, win or lose.

I have them, and I will. I will wear them, Sam-I-am. I do like the yellow in those ties, something about what they say.