My tee shirt essay final draft

I don't buy shirts.
Amanda Cunningham
English Composition II
Hamelin

When I moved from Colorado to Kentucky I knew I was in for a culture shock. I was leaving behind the big city of Colorado Springs for the tiny “red-neck” town of Springfield. The people were going from military men to farmers and the girls were going from outdoor wonder-women to Southern Bells. I knew I would gain insight into a different world and many new experiences. What I didn't know was the sheer volume of T-shirts I was going to gain. Buying T-shirts in Kentucky is unnecessary. I received free T-shirts at my high school, at my college, outside of school, and the few T-shirts I did purchase, always came at a discounted rate.
For the one year I went to Washington County High School in Springfield Kentucky I have at least nine shirts I received for zero payment. That fact amounts to one free shirt per month I was enrolled in school. My first free shirt was exciting. I had already taken not of every other student having a T-shirt that advertised the school, and I felt a little left out. Somehow I was involved in some club (I still don't know how that happened), and a part of being in the club meant that I had to sell T-shirts at a football game. Since I was selling the shirts, the advisors thought it was a good idea if I had a shirt to wear so they gave me one. I was elated. I finally had my own T-shirt from my school. That excitement would follow me through every free T-shirt I received.
My second high school shirt came from Pep Club. I was in the Pep Club, but I didn't want to purchase the shirt because the cost was too high. I don't know how I managed, bu a stranger gave me their shirt, because they said they “already had another one.” Another time, I should have predicted where my Kentucky T-shirt life was leading because I was introduced to a new Kentucky concept: the T-shirt blanket. This blanket is created when a person has acquired roughly 30 T-shirts that may be sewn together to create a blanket. Apparently many people in Kentucky have these T-shirts and were amazed that I had never even heard of the concept. I continued to go to football games and manage to be the lucky person who either caught the free shirt or was given the shirt by the neighbor who “just didn't want another T-shirt”. Over the next few months I received at least seven more free T-shirts.
I went to high school in Kentucky for my Junior year, but my senior year was spent back in Colorado. Here I received zero Tee shirts over the 10 ½ months, but as soon as I returned to Kentucky the free Tee shirt parade began again. My sister was enrolled at St. Catharine College and she decided to take me on a tour. Because I visited the college, an administrator gave me my first free Tee shirt from St. Catharine College; a long white sleeved shirt with purple lettering. I wasn't planning on applying to that college, but I did have a tee shirt. A month passed by and I decided to enroll at SCC so I returned to apply. This is when I received my second free St. Catharine College tee shirt; gray with “SCC” written across the front in gold and purple lettering. By the time my third free SCC tee shirt came to me I was looking to clarify sizing so I picked out a size smaller than I normally choose. It turns out that medium tee shirts fit me better. When it came time for my 4th free tee shirt I was prepared. I looked the giver right in the eyes, asked for a medium, and walked away. I knew that if I wore certain pants I would be able to change into my new shirt without looking strangely dressed. I now had a system. I knew I liked purple or gray shirts, and that I didn't like white, I knew I needed a medium for it to look proper, and I knew that if free shirts were going to be given out it was crucial that I show up fifteen minutes early. So far, at SCC I have received eight free shirts.
Going to school is not the only way to receive a free shirt in Kentucky. At my church, I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to be vacation bible school volunteer until the day it started so I was not able to get a tee shirt. When I inquired about the getting one I was told that there were none left. I went about my business the rest of the week, but on the last day, a woman who had hears I wanted a shirt had washed her own and brought it for me to have. Another time I went out with friends to meet some of their acquaintances. One of their acquaintances brought a trunk full of “Ditch Mitch” tee shirts to give away so, of course, I took one. Also, I went to the Harvest Festical and a band was playing music. When they were through with their second song the band asked if anyone in the audience wanted a chance to catch the single shirt they had with them. I stood in the front row with six other people and when the lead singer threw the shirt, I caught it. Another time, I was walking to raise money for Tanzania and if I sent in your registration early enough I could pick out what size shirt I wanted. I didn't have enough time, so I went to the event expecting to just miss out on the shirt this time. Kentucky had a different plan for me. When I reached the track, the directors had over ordered shirts, and everybody that wanted a shirt was able to get one. There are free shirts all over Kentucky.
When I finally do break down and purchase a tee shirt it had to be for a good cause. In high school, black out tee shirts were being sold, but I don't buy tee shirts at full price in Kentucky so I was going to go without. The tee shirts were for a particular basketball game and I wasn't even going to the game is I didn't worry too much about it. A few weeks after the game I had joined the softball team and I was in charge of selling the remaining shirts. Since it was going to help my team my sister and I both bought shirts. Another time, I purchased a tee shirt in college. Banned books week was occurring and I am a mojor supporter of books. The tee shirts were discounted, from seven dollars to six, for students who were willing to read out loud over a speaker system. I was already planning on reading out loud, I completely supported the cause, so I purchased a shirt. Even though shirts are often free in Kentucky, I will still purchase the shirts if they support a good cause.
Sometimes I buy shirts in Kentucky, but the shirts fly at you in high schools, colleges, and in life outside of school as well. People often ask me, “Why don't you buy tee shirts in Kentucky?”, and I just tell them, “Because in Kentucky, tee shirts will come free to me.” A I write this, I think about two opportunities­ this week where I have a chance to receive a free tee shirt. The shirts just seem to be attracted to me like a magnet.