I was flipping through movie channels and I saw a guy wearing Pin striped Key bib overalls. This is the brand and the color of overalls that my Dad used to wear. This was his everyday work attire and after work attire. I don't remember ever seeing my Dad wearing a pair of shorts or blue jeans. I did, however see him wear dress pants, a suit coat, and a tie to church. I think he believed in wearing nothing but your best to church, especially on Sunday morning. On Sunday nights he was not opposed to wearing one his of newer pair of overalls.
He would always wear a button up shirt with his overalls. Dad kept his billfold and checkbook in one of the front pockets. For those of you that are not Key apparel experts. Here are some facts that will help you paint the picture. Key overalls have two pockets in the front on your chest. One on the right and the other on the left. One pocket had a flap and a snap and the other side just had a snap.
In between the two pockets was a small slit to keep a pen or a pencil. Dad always had a pen and a checkbook. He needed these to write and sign checks when he would buy cattle. He could buy cattle by the pound (live weight). This would be how much you and I would weigh on our bathroom scale. Then he would sell them for how much they weighted after they were killed and processed. He was very good and knowing how much he could buy cows for and sell them for and still make money.
Key overalls also had a hammer loop. This was great when Dad worked construction. Who wants to carry around a hammer all day? All he had to do was store it in his trusty hammer loop. Also, Key overalls had a place for a pair of pliers. My dad always had his pliers. You never know when you might need them to tight a loose battery connection on your truck. Or you might need them to snap a piece of wire into to tie two hog panels together to keep the hogs from getting out of the pen. How often would I ever use a pair of pliers? Once a year, maybe.
Isn't that amazing how a pair of Key overalls can bring up all of these memories. Good memories of a hard working father. A man who loved Jesus, his wife and his kids. Who went to work and worked hard to meet the needs of his family. and never complained. Oh, sure, He might say his feet hurt after a hard day pouring concrete as he soaked his feet in hot Epson water. The only reason he said something then was because I was a youngster asking him why he was doing that. I love my Dad and I miss him and his Key pin striped bib overalls.