As a scientologist, I'm always skeptical about things I can't see. If I'm ever presented with anything that puzzles me, I do everything I can to figure it out. Which is why I was having trouble comprehending what was happening with my jacket.
I know, why are you getting so worked up about some mystery involving your jacket? Because the problem with it is something so bizarre that it might baffle you as well. My jacket, a thin, black zip up hoodie I'd picked up for cheap at some thrift store. The jacket is so thin that you'd believe if it was cold out it would change very little from wearing a simple t-shirt. This particular jacket, no matter how cold or hot it is out, is always very hot. The heat coming from within the jacket was almost painful. I needed to figure out why it was so hot inside so I could remove it if I could.
"No wonder they were selling it for so cheap," my wife said. "If it was almost painfully hot to put on, it makes sense they were having trouble selling it." As she spoke, she never lifted her eyes from the health book she was reading as we lay beside me in bed. I was on my laptop, doing any research I could on the company that produced the jacket. There were never any customer complaints about any of their jackets, most complained that they were too thin and left them cold.
Our six year old son, Nate, walked in our room, a terrified look on his face. "There's a monster hiding in my closet." he cried.
"You were only having a nightmare, hun," my wife said after walking over to him and giving him a hug. She walked with him to his room and put him back to sleep. She returned after a few minutes.
"I don't know what's gotten into that kid, he won't stop talking about ghosts and monsters." she said. "I told you we shouldn't have let him watch those scary movies with us the other night."
"Babe, it was Halloween. It would be unnatural for someone not to watch something scary on the scariest night of the year."
***
The next day, after dropping Nate off at school, I went to the basement and went to work on trying to find out what was inside the jacket that made it so hot. I felt around the inside of the jacket to see if I could find any kind of heat source. There wasn't one present. In fact, it wasn't hot on the inside at all. I zipped the jacket up to see if it would change anything. It was still just as cool inside.
I tried slipping the jacket on and zipping it up. Sure enough, within a few minutes time, the inside of the jacket heated up. It continued to heat up until it was too painful to keep in. I took it off, puzzled on where the heat was coming from. I felt around, perhaps there was a heating pad inside that reacted to the warmth of a human body? It was a stretch but it was worth a try. I felt around again. It was completely smooth inside all the way around. There was no way there was something hiding in there.
I looked at the tag and it only said it was made with "100% Real Cotton". Just like the tag on any regular piece of clothing would say. I decided to throw in the towel. There was no way I could figure out what was going on with it by myself without tools.
***
Later that day I brought Nate home from school. He asked me where my jacket was. I asked him which one I was referring to. Of course I knew the one. He said the one with the man inside.
"What do you mean the jacket with a man inside?" I asked.
"There was a jacket you were wearing yesterday with a man inside." he explained. "It was like when you put it on you were wearing the man who was wearing the jacket. I think he must've been a ghost."
"You think I was wearing a jacket that was already being worn by a ghost?" I asked.
He nodded. "And he looked angry when you had it on. Like he wanted to burn you."
I know, why are you getting so worked up about some mystery involving your jacket? Because the problem with it is something so bizarre that it might baffle you as well. My jacket, a thin, black zip up hoodie I'd picked up for cheap at some thrift store. The jacket is so thin that you'd believe if it was cold out it would change very little from wearing a simple t-shirt. This particular jacket, no matter how cold or hot it is out, is always very hot. The heat coming from within the jacket was almost painful. I needed to figure out why it was so hot inside so I could remove it if I could.
"No wonder they were selling it for so cheap," my wife said. "If it was almost painfully hot to put on, it makes sense they were having trouble selling it." As she spoke, she never lifted her eyes from the health book she was reading as we lay beside me in bed. I was on my laptop, doing any research I could on the company that produced the jacket. There were never any customer complaints about any of their jackets, most complained that they were too thin and left them cold.
Our six year old son, Nate, walked in our room, a terrified look on his face. "There's a monster hiding in my closet." he cried.
"You were only having a nightmare, hun," my wife said after walking over to him and giving him a hug. She walked with him to his room and put him back to sleep. She returned after a few minutes.
"I don't know what's gotten into that kid, he won't stop talking about ghosts and monsters." she said. "I told you we shouldn't have let him watch those scary movies with us the other night."
"Babe, it was Halloween. It would be unnatural for someone not to watch something scary on the scariest night of the year."
***
The next day, after dropping Nate off at school, I went to the basement and went to work on trying to find out what was inside the jacket that made it so hot. I felt around the inside of the jacket to see if I could find any kind of heat source. There wasn't one present. In fact, it wasn't hot on the inside at all. I zipped the jacket up to see if it would change anything. It was still just as cool inside.
I tried slipping the jacket on and zipping it up. Sure enough, within a few minutes time, the inside of the jacket heated up. It continued to heat up until it was too painful to keep in. I took it off, puzzled on where the heat was coming from. I felt around, perhaps there was a heating pad inside that reacted to the warmth of a human body? It was a stretch but it was worth a try. I felt around again. It was completely smooth inside all the way around. There was no way there was something hiding in there.
I looked at the tag and it only said it was made with "100% Real Cotton". Just like the tag on any regular piece of clothing would say. I decided to throw in the towel. There was no way I could figure out what was going on with it by myself without tools.
***
Later that day I brought Nate home from school. He asked me where my jacket was. I asked him which one I was referring to. Of course I knew the one. He said the one with the man inside.
"What do you mean the jacket with a man inside?" I asked.
"There was a jacket you were wearing yesterday with a man inside." he explained. "It was like when you put it on you were wearing the man who was wearing the jacket. I think he must've been a ghost."
"You think I was wearing a jacket that was already being worn by a ghost?" I asked.
He nodded. "And he looked angry when you had it on. Like he wanted to burn you."
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