9.09.2011

Cross My Heart and Hope to Buy

by Amy Mullis

In a fit of social conformity and because a quick glimpse of myself in a department store mirror reminded me of the Matterhorn during spring thaw, I went bra shopping today.   On the whole I’d rather have first dibs in the selection of nooses the hangman is going to use to finish me off.  Or at least pick which angry nail technician is going to file my little toe down to niblet size at Naughty Nails.

First off, there’s the personality clash.  Bras today are undeniably perky, padded, and prime-time ready. If the bras I saw in the lingerie section were the Tiggers on Pooh’s corner, my chest is covered in wall-to-wall Eeyores.  Unless I raise my arms, you couldn’t pick me out of a lineup of Christopher Robins.  Out-of-date eggs are more likely to be sunny side up.

It’s not bad enough that bras are displayed according to styles instead of arranged by sizes like hammers, condoms, and other handy household items. Overcrowded conditions cause the things jump to their deaths like lemmings whenever you approach the rack.  The floor is covered with scraps of lace and spandex like the result of a bridal party-streetwalker collision. To streamline the whole process, I selected a wheelbarrow full of likely candidates and threw them on the floor. 

I blame the whole thing on over-aggressive sales clerks who know that once you enter the barren land known as foundations, you’ve forsaken pleasure shopping and are not going home without an underwire that doesn’t snap in half like a fortune cookie whenever you bend over to tie your shoe. 

Not only was I discouraged that everything seemed to be the wrong size, I was dismayed to find they were also the wrong shape.  To me, pushups are something I had to do in gym when I refused to wear the regulation gender-neutral guerrilla togs.  In Lingerie Central, it’s something that plugs your boobs into your nostrils like nose plugs. A swimmer with a push-up bra will never have to worry about water on the brain.  And at my age, I’m in real danger of losing at least one over my shoulder.

I wanted something a little kinder to my body than the underwire air mattresses hanging in rows.  Something feminine made from fibers that did not originate in the Space Program. I finally found a cotton and lace number that made sand castles out of parts I thought had been lost at sea long ago.  Never again will I have to check my armpits to see which direction I’m facing. 

I celebrated my successful shopping trip with dinner at The Egg Roll King where I finished up with a fortune cookie that was right on the money. It said, “Things are looking up.”

But just to be safe, I’m going to get someone else to tie my shoes.

You'll find Amy Mullis hanging out, eating cookies, and avoiding heavy lifting over at Mind Over Mullis.  Come join the fun, but bring your own cookies.

11 comments:

  1. I couldn't stop laughing. I sold bras at Macy's for a year until defecting to the kid's department where it was safe. Bras come in two basic styles- boned and girded like the Brooklyn Bridge and pretty for those who don't actually need one.:)

    ReplyDelete
  2. We shouldn't have to pay good (lots!) money for something that could have been a handy torture device during the Inquisition. But you made it almost sound fun, Amy!

    ReplyDelete
  3. The awful part is that it's nonfiction. I don't think I could sell bras. That's like Seal Team 6 going in for the big one!

    ReplyDelete
  4. LOL!!!!! Oh, I HATE buying bras! Hate, hate, HATE it!
    "You're a 38 C, right?"
    "Um, no. I'm a hopeful B, and I 'm not good with numbers."
    "Let's measure you to see."
    "Yeah. Let's not."

    ReplyDelete
  5. Uh, yeah. Come one step nearer with that tape measure and we'll know just how far inland your pancreas is.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have the same problem whenever I go to buy one. And the LOOKS I get. Yeesh!

    Adam

    ReplyDelete
  7. Absolutely hilarious! You've done it again, a classic from start to finish! It's hard to pick a favorite line out of this post, they were all perfect. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. "hammers, condoms, and other handy household items" might just be my favorite phrase ever.

    patti

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love it that you threw them on the floor, Amy. Only you and Gracie Allen make me laugh this hard! Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  10. We should all go shopping together. We'd have a blast. Adam, you have to use a separate dressing room.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.