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The Coat had hung in the closet for at least 30 years, except for the frequent times when it was picked up, admired and hung back.

Made of black, soft leather, the three-quarter-length coat was a beauty. The wide lapels and leather buttons added to its uniqueness. Most who saw it before it was outgrown admired it. "That's a good looking coat; where did you get that?" was the theme of most questions about The Coat.

Consideration had been given many times to donating it to someone or to a nonprofit agency that collects clothing. It was difficult to make that decision. "Maybe I will lose weight and be able to wear it again someday" was the rationale for keeping The Coat.

The Coat, a size 40, could not be buttoned on a size 43 frame, and the shoulders were tight. Still, perhaps one day, it could be worn again...

That rationale went on year after year, despite The Coat's taking up space in a crowded closet. Yes, it was picked up many times with the thought of giving it to Goodwill, The Salvation Army, West End Ministries or some other agency that helps the poor.

That seemed so impersonal -- The Coat could not go to "just anybody." There probably was not another one like it anywhere!

Getting the coat from a small men's store in the '70s had been a chore. The Coat had been put on layaway and paid for over several weeks. Finally, it was redeemed and was worn proudly. The cost has long been forgotten, but whatever it was wasn't too much for such a prize.

The Coat not only was a beauty, it also was warm and would complement about any attire.

A few days ago the monumental decision to part with The Coat was made. Several other coats, sweatshirts and dress shirts also were donated to a middle school. The closet finally had become too crowded. And a more mature outlook about letting go of things you no longer can use but may help others had been established -- reluctantly. Growing old helps that maturation.

Yet, it was with a bit of sadness that The Coat was hung in the car, along with other items, and carried away. It was an emotional moment. The Coat had been a part of the family for many years. The parting didn't come easily.

A few days later it was learned that all of the clothing had been given to a group of special children in the school. "You should have seen the looks on the children's faces when they got those warm shirts and coats," said the school counselor. "Some of them said they had never had anything like that before."

The children tried on the clothes and "got real excited," the counselor said.

"What about The Coat? Who got it?"

"Which one? Oh, you mean the leather coat. That one just fit one of the new boys at our school. It looked nice on him. He's a good kid ... likes to do art and crafts things. He tells me that he misses his mother a lot. I don't know what happened to her," the counselor said.

The boy really loves that coat, the counselor said.

"It's not just a leather coat. It is The Coat, one of the finest you will find anywhere," the counselor was told.

"Well, for these children any coat is fine; they just appreciate being warm," came the reply. Still, The Coat was the snappiest one of the lot, the counselor said.

A few days later Christmas cards started arriving from that school. Each card had a written "thank you" note in addition to the Christmas message. Some might say the notes were scribbled; that would be an insult. They were written with painstaking care and appreciation; you could feel that as they were read.

And there was a "thank you" from the student who now wears The Coat so proudly.

The Coat had been saved all of those years for A Special Boy, was the rationale. Surely, he's a fine-looking guy wearing The Coat.

The Coat now has a new best friend.

Contact Bob Burchette at bburchette@triad.rr.com