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There’s nothing quite like a new bra. Not a wonder bra, a fancy bra, a
fantasy bra, a lacy bra, or even a racy bra—I’m talking about a simple,
straightforward, fulfilling garment. Some might argue that a new bra is uncomfortable,
or in fact, that any bra is uncomfortable, but not I.
A new bra is supple, soft, and shiny. I become a new woman when I don one fresh off the rack. A new bra is an uplifting experience. I am a sinner lost in the darkness who is restored, raised up, and now walks in the brilliant light of faith. I am a crooked old politician who has embraced reform, who has decided to straighten up and fly right. A new bra gives me a $25 lease on life.
But, what do I do with the old bra? It is limp, frayed, and graying. It is a sad sight to behold; misshapen and so transfigured from its once-glorious self.
Despite its pitiable condition, each ancient, wrinkled, and useless bra sits in one of my sacred household piles among its rejected companions. I can’t seem to part with them. I don’t want to wear them anymore. They have been replaced by younger models, and I can’t imagine passing such intimate and well-worn pieces on to others. Of course, I could throw them away, but tossing out these old familiar friends feels a bit like putting my elder relatives, the one who have lost their sheen, into nursing homes.
Perhaps I'm obsessed with the idea of home. These bras, though worn and tattered, were once home to me.
back to: Literary Arts
Home Literary Arts Visual Arts About Zephyr Contact Graphic Version
Mendocino College Online Journal of the Arts - Spring 2002 Text Version
Mendocino College
1000 Hensley Creek Road
Ukiah, California 95482