I was 15 and the wind was blowing the leaves off the trees as I hurried to the main bus station.
Deep in thought, I was wearing an apple green skirt, not very long, stockings and ballet shoes. It wasn’t my usual outfit.
My little stay-up stockings started to slip down my legs. The tension mounted in me. I felt fear and shame at the idea that they could suddenly fall down, then I finally found myself at the doors of my bus. I felt my face burning. I sat down and let out a massive sigh. My stockings hadn’t failed and disgraced me.
I kept the secret of my underwear. But that’s not all. That day I was wearing a funny bra. I’d found it a few days earlier in my mother’s secret drawer. It was a cream one in lace. It was a magical moment of discovery. I had difficulty working out how to wear it and to keep it from sliding off my shoulders but I managed.
In actual fact it was a suspender belt I had put on upside down, with the suspenders at the top like a bra. It was only later that I realised my blunder.
Karine