Mourning a ruined Sweater

It was an expensive sweater and my favorite. I loved the powdery gray color and pearl buttons.The sweater was soft to the touch.

I'm almost embarrassed to share the details, but I tried to dry a sweater without a dryer, while visiting my sister. She lived far away from my home by about 200 miles.

I somehow dropped coffee on it. Oh great, I thought. I knew I had to work fast so it didn't have a permanent stain.

The weather had turned chilly outside. I needed it to wear it so I decided to wash it out.

Minutes afterward, I found out my sis had no dryer. Hanging it outside on the clothesline wasn't an option as it was rainy, cold, and already nighttime .

I wondered how I could safely dry it quickly. I looked around in her kitchen. The oven would just ruin it.

I looked at her microwave oven, then at her. "Hmm. What if I just put it in there and used defrost cycle and took it out every few minutes?"

"It might work," my sis mumbled.

There was no other options, so I placed it inside and tapped the buttons on the oven. I monitored it, checking it often, yet it was still wet. I stood there, leaning against the counter, talking with my sister to pass the time, while my little Yorkie stood by watching us, and looking up at me.

After several times, I checked the sweater again. It felt dry, but steaming hot, so I waited to let it cool off a little first. I was thrilled that my brilliant idea worked. If there's a will there's a way, right?

I took it out and laid it on the counter and noticed the sleeves looked funny. I touched it tentively. It looked like it was morphing by the minute. I tried to put it on and realized the sleeve holes were way too small. It wouldn't fit. Even the arms were shorter and the body was much smaller now.

I held it up and said out loud, "Oh my God, my sweater shrank! Look at it." I looked at my dog, Little Bear, at my feet. He had short legs and a short body. "Oh well, at least somebody or something can wear it."

My sister burst out laughing and didn't stop for several minutes. Her eyes were tearing, she started choking, and I wondered if I might have to resuscitate her soon, but she recovered..

After a little bit of mourning on my own part, and as sad as it was, I laughed too. Out of stupidity, I had ruined my angora sweater.

Can't do anything now, right? Well, it could have been worse I guess.

I never got another sweater until years later and I certainly wouldn't try drying it like that again.