The "Holyoak Boys-Only Club" (Plus Mom)

Mark

I'm a sucker for a good, warm flannel shirt. I've always liked them dating back to my teenage years. They're just so cozy. Unfortunately, I couldn't really use for them during my days as a broadcast journalist. However, when I left TV and took a job at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, I was thrust back into the wonderful world of flannel shirts, fleece vests, boots and blue jeans. That's pretty much what I wear on a daily basis, especially during the winter months.

ßI first came across this sweet black and green flannel shirt during the early winter months of 2023. I saw a now former coworker wearing it and asked where he got it. He said it was an RMEF shirt available in our visitors center. It's thick, almost like a light jacket. I liked it. I went right downstairs and bought my own.

Fast forward to nine months later when a work email landed in my inbox. It said some customers who bought the shirt online were having issues with it unravelling. Because of that, the decision was made to not sell them anymore to the public. But a new shipment had just arrived so we employees were notified that any of us who wanted a shirt, or a bunch of them, could go next door to the distribution and take what wanted for free. There were about five big boxes but I didn't feel I could just scoop up an armload so I reached out to each member of the Bugle magazine staff that I supervise to see if they had interest. All but one did, so I hooked them up.

Mom

Later that afternoon, I again wandered next door and they had definitely been picked over but there were still a lot of them, especially XLs. And that's when the idea came to me. I'll get one for all the Holyoak men in my life - my son, brothers and sons-in-law. Mom was staying with us at the time so I texted and asked if she wanted one as well. She said "yes," so I grabbed one in her size too. But when I went back the following morning to grab more for the Holyoak women in my life, just about everything was gone, especially those in their sizes. Oh well.

While I was at work one day shortly thereafter, Mom got out her scissors and sewing machine and got to work. You see, her sleeves were too long so she cut off the cuff and then removed a lower section of the sleeve, sewed it back together and she was good to go. Here's to you, Mom! It looks great on you!

All of the guys would receive theirs as a Christmas present. Since Alan and Connor visited our place during Thanksgiving, I gifted them theirs at the same time - twinsies! A couple of weeks later, as we got closer to Christmas, I took an evening and boxed up shirts for Jace, Kerry and Matthew and shipped them out. I would give Kenny to him since we were to spend the day with his family.

As Christmas day rolled around, one by one, all the guys opened their presents. Matthew said his was a little tight (sorry Matthew) and his visiting dad was more than dropping hints that he would take it back home with him. I was with Kenny when he opened his. He said he liked it. And so it went. Below are photos of the entire gang except for Connor because well, there's just more to the story there.

Kenny

Alan

Jace

Kerry

Matthew

As for Connor, either he or Hallie forwarded a Christmas Day video of him wearing the shirt I gave him at Thanksgiving while opening yet another present from me. During my evening of wrapping up the shirts for all the guys, I'd forgotten I already gave him one and sent him yet another one anyway. When he opened it, he was like, "Uh...what?" Duh, Mark. #oldmanproblems

Then I thought it would be a fun to do a Facebook post showing a photo of each of us wearing our new, matching RMEF shirts. You know, kind of like a "Holyoak Boys-Only Club," plus Mom, that is. I sent out a text to all of them and I started receiving photos from each of them. That is, each of them, except Connor. He'd say, "Sorry, I forget but I'll do it when I get home from work," or "Dang, I keep forgetting but I'll get it to you." It became like a running joke. I'd send him a GIF of a disgusted kid tapping his fingers on a table. I'd talked to Hallie and she said she would get right on it. More time passed and the calendar page turned into 2024.  

Meanwhile at work. there are now dozens of employees walking the halls wearing the same green and black flannel RMEF shirt. When I wore mine shortly after the big giveaway, one of them said, "Oh Mark, I see you got in on the freebie action." I said, tongue-in-cheek yet truthfully, "No, I'm not like you posers. I bought mine early last year so my hard-earned money actually went to help advance RMEF's mission."

Fast forward to early February 2024, I received this text from Connor: "Some backstory for the shirt. I felt bad because I couldn't find it anywhere! I was so confused where it could have gone. Today, I found it! It had been thrown in a Christmas box and stored away with all our Christmas things on accident. Sorry it took so long. That's my bad."

Connor

I just laughed. But then it got even better. Hallie texted this as a follow-up: "Please accept this performance and our deepest apologies for the delay."

Yes, Connor and Hallie really delivered. It was an epic performance, indeed. I just laughed and laughed. But that's only part of the story. Aubrey's youngest daughter, Lexi, watched the video like 4-5 times in a row, laughing through the whole thing every time. 

So thanks Connor and Hal. What a great, albeit delayed Christmas present. I loved it! And hey Connor, hope you like the shirt(s).