You've Reached Sam

Sam’s denim jacket, which he gifted to Julie, is a symbol of nostalgia, regret, second chances, and Sam’s characterization. The jacket is one of Sam’s favorite things to wear, but he gave it to Julie as a meaningful gesture of love. She recalls pleasant times of Sam wearing it but ultimately decides to get rid of the jacket, which reflects the themes of Flashbacks and Memory and Coping With Grief and Letting Go:

Inside my closet is Sam’s denim jacket. The one with the wool collar and embroidered patches (band logos and flags of places he’s traveled) along the sleeves that he ironed on himself. I’ve had it for so long, and wear it so often, I forgot it was his. [...] The denim feels cold to the touch, almost damp. Like it’s still holding in rain from the last time I wore it out. Sam and I race down puddle-filled streets as bursts of lightning lit up the sky. It is pouring on our way home from the Screaming Trees concert. I pull the jacket over my head as Sam holds his signed guitar tight to his chest, desperate to keep it dry. […] Out of everything I’m throwing out, this reminds me of him the most. He wore it every day. Maybe it’s all in my head, but it still smells like him. I never got the chance to give it back like I promised (16-17).

Though the denim jacket triggers flashbacks of Sam and Julie considers keeping it, she convinces herself that it would be a “mistake” to hold onto the clothing, since she believes “everything has to go, or else I’ll never be able to move on with my life” (17). Sam’s handmade touches on the jacket display his characterization; the clothing was a prized possession shown by the time he took to iron on band logos and places he traveled. Sam personalized the clothing to reflect himself, including his love of music, traveling adventures, and laid-back style. Because the gifted jacket so closely reflects Sam’s creative, musical, and loving personality, Julie is overwhelmed by nostalgia and impulsively can’t keep this physical reminder of Sam.

After speaking with Mika about being absent for Sam’s funeral services and abandoning his memories, Julie changes her mind about throwing away Sam’s items. She deeply regrets tossing away his things to cope with her grief. Thus, the jacket also symbolizes her regret, as the main item she misses from the box she discarded and the closest physical link she had to Sam. When Julie races back for the box to find it already taken by the garbage truck, she loses her chance to reclaim the jacket and other remnants of Sam.

Not only does the jacket connect Julie to Sam by retaining his smell and fond memories, but it reappears in her dreams. Just as her relationship with Sam is rediscovered through her phone, the jacket is a similar link to their surreal connection. Her regret doesn’t dissolve, but she feels better that she found the jacket in her dream. When she apologizes to Sam about tossing away all traces of him, he tells her to take anything new. She can’t replace the denim jacket, but she has a second chance to keep other reminders of Sam.