Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world.

Special Treat – Sharon Bryant

March 14, 2008

I Thought........

Sharon Bryant

I met him the year I was seventeen.  What a hunk.  Today he would be called "hot."   Blond hair, blue eyes, perfect smile and dimples.  I was working after school and he got a job at the store I worked at.

We became friends immediately.  Two weeks later he got up the nerve to ask me out.

Our dating went on for several months.

Summer came with hot days and balmy nights.  He asked me out to the beach one Saturday.  I accepted.

I ran into a problem.  I needed a nice looking bathing suit.  Off to the store I went.  I searched and searched and at one clothing rack, there it was.......it was perfect.  White, one piece, and tiny buttons that ran from the neckline down about five inches.  And padded cups!  Now padded cups was the "in" thing back in the 60's.  I decided to buy a suit a size larger than I wore just so it made me look "bigger" in the chest area.

His mom sent a picnic lunch for us.  I remember it well.  Bologna sandwiches, fruit and a candy bar.  Funny, we didn't get any food poisoning from the mayo on the bologna sandwiches either.  We stopped and got a cold drink just before we got to the beach.

We laid out a blanket, peeled off our outer clothing, me exposing my brand new bathing suit.  I didn't tell him it was new and he didn't comment on the suit.

We talked some, laughed our heads off, then went swimming.  Back to the blanket where we ate our lunch.  I rolled onto my stomach as I ate mine.  We chatted some more for twenty or so minutes.  I was still lying on my stomach.

I didn't feel anything happening, so when the noise happened, it surprised even me.

He said, "Last one in the water is a slow poke."  We both jumped up and that's when it happened.

POP went the noise and it was loud.  I wasn't sure where it was coming from.  He was staring at me when another POP noise happened.  He was staring at my bathing suit.

I looked down and my size 36 hard cups had sunken inward.  I had indented boobs on my suit.

I ran for all I was worth into the water, embarrassed to no end.

He swam out after me.

I had to get under the water and pop those cups back into place.

He caught up with me and to this day I'll never forget what he said to me.

"I thought you were at LEAST a size 36!"

I smiled back at him and said, "I am, I just bought this suit and they didn't have my size so I got a size 38 but it's a bit too big."

The following week he decided we needed matching shirts.  I remember when he handed me the box and said, "I've got something I hope you'll like."  He was wearing his that day, a red and white checkered shirt.

I opened the box to see a matching blouse.  With the tag on it, size 38.

I didn't want to tell him I wore a size 34, but he insisted I try it on.  I slipped into it over my blouse I had on.

It looked like a pajama top, it was so blousy and large on me.

He said, "I thought.........."   I cut him off and replied, "You better quit thinking and it's none of your business what size I wear!"

So much for thinking, bathing suits and matching blouses.

 Sharon Bryant