FROM THE ELISSON ARCHIVE

Mr. and Mrs. Debonair, September 1998.

This photo, excavated from the Elisson Archive, shows Mr. and Mrs. Debonair attending a formal wedding at the River Oaks Country Club in Houston. Yes, we used to live in Texas (although this photograph was taken two months after we had relocated to Atlanta).

But do not get the idea that it was always champagne and caviar, tie and tails with Mr. Debonair. Living in Texas had its Earthy Aspects, too.


The Official State Uniform of Texas, circa 1992.

Take, for example, the Official State Uniform of Texas, modeled above by Yours Truly.

Yes, it’s the One-Piece Polyester Texas Old-Guy Jumpsuit!

I don’t know where else these outfits are popular, but I discovered, upon moving to Texas in 1974, that every male over the age of fifty not only owned a closet full of these Bad Boys; he would actually wear the fuckin’ things. Ye Gods!

I received the specimen above as a gag gift on my fortieth birthday, which means the photograph above likely dates from around 1992. Dapper, ain’t it?

I can’t understand the attraction these things hold for Texans...or whoever else might wear ’em. For one thing, they’re a lot trickier to remove in a hurry...say, for example, if you have a Bowel Emergency. When I’m dealing with Mr. Turtlehead, the last thing I want to have on my mind is how to get out of my clothes.