Three doors down from the front door to Vesuvio’s stood a nondescript brown door.  The varnish on it looked faded in the Seattle sun and bubbled in places.  The only adornment was a cast iron door knocker.  There was a loop like a belt but the detail on it looked more woollen, like it might be attached to something warm.

A simple knock on the door however did nothing.  There was obviously no-one in, except there were lights on in windows further up and shadows visibly moving.

A louder knock causes the shadows to stop however they restart soon enough.

A man appears out of the shadows and uses the door knocker…

Rat-a-tat-tat….

The shadows paused

Rat….Rat….Rat-a-tat-tat

The door slowly opens and the man walks in.

When the knock is repeated, the door opens slowly again and you can walk in.  

Adorning the walls of the corridor are paintings of old bearded and mustachioed gentlemen with small plaques beneath:
 

Alfred Curmudgeon 1754-1789
Victor Sparekey 1789-1807
Archibald Pestobird 1807-1808

all the way up to a plaque with no painting above it

Artie Bucco 1933-

An unassuming door is closed at the end of the corridor with a small brass plaque.  Nothing here says ostentatious.  It speaks of plain, homely comfort.  The plaque reads

Veritable Society of Bathrobes

The doorway opens to a small spiral staircase, following this up to the top allows it to open up into a meeting room occupied by several gentlemen and an equal number of women.  All wearing bathrobes over their clothes.  The air in the room had a certain chill, hence the bathrobes but the chatter in the room also seemed to centre around type, availability and practicality.

Everyone is invited to take a seat.

Welcome to the fifteenth meeting of the VSB of this year.  I’d like to take the time to comment on the passing of our sister Ethel Scroggins.  She passed recently and was very handy with the urn in the kitchen for making teas and coffees.  Ethel wore her robe proudly despite the trouble she had at home and will be sorely missed.

So getting to the purpose of this society, for any newcomers, we are here to extol the virtues of bathrobes over jumpers and cardigans. 

My favourite is my black and white checked lightweight Cotton Waffle bathrobe.  I call this my shooting robe.  I use it in the garden to keep vermin at bay.  It is lightweight yet still warm enough for wearing in most months, especially here in Seattle.

Feel free to share your thoughts on your bathrobe of choice and what your bathrobe means to you.