Sharing

To see the Chinese Communist spirit at work, one needs look no further than the closets of female college students. Clothing is generally considered to be communal property, to be offered to whomever needs it. You may recall how a few weeks ago, my friend brought me a stylish pink turtleneck to keep me warm in the freezing icebox that was my room. Later, I "lent" her an extra scarf that happened to match her outfit particularly well. An infrequently worn sweatshirt is currently on loan to another friend who loves playing basketball. Gloves must be offered to those without coat pockets, and hats and coats get passed around among friends and roommates. When going out with friends, it is not unheard of to show up in one coat, and to go home in another.

The latest instance of this principle at work came a few days ago. I made a vague comment about how I was in the market for a new coat, when my friend's face lit up and she exclaimed that she had the perfect thing for me: an extra down coat that she never wears. She dragged me back to the dorm with her to try it on.

I tried to control my excitement, reminding myself that it is rare to find a Chinese coat without bows, frills, or pom-poms. The stars must have been aligned that day however, because not only was the coat was a perfect fit, but it was also unadorned (except for the requisite faux fur trim of course). The best part about it though, is the subtle use of color as an attractant. My friend insisted that I borrow it, and I have been wearing it proudly ever since. As an added bonus, I have now earned a new nickname: banana.

The resemblance is uncanny.