Kay

It Isn’t Easy Being Green……When You Are Roberta’s Bra - Quilt size 40"x40" Machine quilted and sparkly decorative butterfly trim used.

Ever since Roberta turned 11 she pleaded, begged, and hounded her mother to buy her first bra. So reluctantly her mother caved in to her daughter’s nagging and took her shopping. It was love at first sight when Roberta spotted the little green bra in the bin and knew from that very second that it was the one and only. In spite of her mother’s unsuccessful persuasive efforts to convince her head-strong daughter that a nice little white bra would be so much more practical, the little green thing was put into a bag and carried home.

Roberta was enamored over the little green bra so much so that she wore it every day and it was a battle to get her to part with it long enough for laundering. Mom even offered to take her back to the department store to buy a second white bra but no budging Roberta. The real concern came when she started blossoming. And she kept blossoming and it was obvious that the little bra’s lifespan was soon coming to an end. But Roberta saw otherwise.

It soon became obvious to Roberta’s mother that the darling daughter she thought she knew, was obsessed over keeping the green bra. It was nothing to walk past her bedroom door to see Roberta sitting on the edge of her bed with scissors, needle, thread, glue, duct tape, and elastic. If there was a will there was a way to keep wearing her beloved bra in spite of growing issues. By that time Mom had took it upon herself to just go buy Roberta pretty, lacy new bras that lay untouched in the bottom of her dresser drawer. Mom would hesitate for a second in the bedroom doorway, shake her head, then walk on by without saying a word.

After graduation Roberta set her sights on a singing career instead of choosing college. So off to the Big Apple to be discovered, become famous, and live the good life. Or so Roberta thought. To her dismay she found out that singing in church choir didn’t necessarily qualify one to become the next singing sensation in that huge city. But Roberta did land a job as a chorus girl in the second line of a new review about to open at the Copa Cabana. After all she was a looker but the singing voice would have to be silenced for another time and opportunity. It was a job and Roberta was getting a bit hungry.

To Roberta’s surprise she actually liked her new career and did very well. So much so that the manager offered her the lead girl in the chorus line with her name on the marquee. Ah but her real name just wouldn’t do so she was now Lola. The only stipulation she had was the green bra had to stay put but she was willing to "fancy" it up a bit with sparkles and beads which the manager reluctantly agreed. Roberta made many new friends in her career as a showgirl. One in particular was a nice young singer just hired on to open the act. He befriended Roberta and tried to pull a few strings to get her singing career off to a start but he was struggling himself. That nice young fella eventually went on to bigger and better things and made a real name for himself. He even wrote and sang a song later on about Roberta that became a smashing hit and launched his glorious career.

Roberta was now in her mid 40’s and the poor old worn green bra was still fastened to her chest. Her illustrious career as a showgirl was now over for obvious reasons so Roberta decided that now was the time to get that college education. So off she and the green bra went to serious studies. Roberta may not have been a sweet young thing any more but she enjoyed being around the younger people on campus. The Beatles had landed in the US starting a crazy wild movement on campuses all across the US. Then came the free love, peace, and flower power with bell bottom jeans, flowery shirts and long fringed vests. The women’s movement took hold on the campuses as well with rallies and burning bras. Roberta, being one to keep hip and in the swing of things unknowingly got herself caught up in one of these rallies. To her dismay she watched hundreds of women unsnap those bras and throw them into the flames. Oh, but not her! Not her beloved green bra! No way! Roberta quickly and quietly slipped through the crowd and went home to think about what she could do to support the women’s movement without becoming one of the braless supporters. Aha! She had it! So she got out her old shoebox that held all the staples to keep the green bra alive and proceeded to cut out the peace sign and sew a symbol on each cup. Now Roberta could still show support, literally, and yet keep her beloved bra.

Now Roberta is a grandmother and the "girls" have certainly seen better days. Roberta enjoys gardening and friends over for a good game of Canasta each week and grandkids come often to help her plant wildflower seeds and bake cookies. They all have a grand old time together. The old worn out green bra is still with her and Roberta plans to see if she may hold the Guiness Book of World Records on the longest living bra. It’s been patched, glued, sewn, poked, and pulled all these years and as ugly and worn as it is, Roberta keeps trying to breathe new life into the poor thing. Oh what’s that I see? Here she comes and what is that she’s carrying? Oh no! She has a handful of red feathers and a video of Night of a Thousand Dances – Belly Dancing in Ten Easy Lessons!

TFS
Sally