Reflections on a conversation

Recently I was in a shop and witnessed this conversation between 3 people – let’s call them A, B and C:

A: I really like this, do you have it in my size?

B (shop assistant): We only have what’s there, but we’re getting more in soon.

C: It’s a lovely quality!

B: Yes we’re getting it in grey too.

C: That sounds really nice.

B to A: You’ll need to start shaving your legs soon.

C: Do you remember when X cut their leg shaving on holiday last year and then ended up getting the other one waxed!

A, B & C: General laughter.

B: Yes, waxing is better than shaving.

A: I’m not shaving my legs.

B: You can’t wear those shorts with leg hair sticking out all over the place!!!!

 

No, this wasn’t a conversation between my 15 year old daughter and her friends. This was a conversation between 3 grown men in a bike shop!

Is it just me, or is there something about road cycling that brings out the feminine side in grown men?

I mean what is this with the leg shaving? I always thought it was something to do with speed or wind resistance, which didn’t really make much sense to me unless you happen to be Mark Cavendish. Is it really just so they look nice in their lycra shorts???

And in an earlier post I touched on the jersey pocket as a substitute for a handbag…..

But mainly it’s the clothes. What is it that makes men (who otherwise would be seen dead rather than be seen in public wearing anything other than very boring boy clothes), squeeze themselves into shiny, garish, extremely tight fitting lycra??

Is it because men get so few opportunities to live out their princess dreams? Quite a few little boys that I know have gone through phases of dressing up as princesses. In all cases it’s been a short lived phase. I don’t know why they stop, but maybe they quickly realise that society so far just doesn’t find it acceptable for little boys to go around in pink frilly dresses (even when accessorised with a camouflage jacket like one wee boy I know). I think it’s a shame really. As a woman it is much easier to participate in what are generally accepted to be masculine activities (like doing an ironman?) or adopting a “masculine look” (ultra-short hair?)without compromising your femininity.

So guys, go ahead and remove the hairs on your legs (I’d personally recommend waxing rather than shaving), pack as much junk as you can into your handbags, I mean pockets, and squeeze yourselves into the tightest, shiniest, brightest lycra you can find and enjoy every minute.

And when your sons dress up in their sister’s princess dresses, smile and tell them they look lovely!