Unfortunately, I have a bad habit of stuffing things down my sports bra when I run because I like to have my hands free. Now that our mileage has increased, this strategy is proving to be less than wise. The raw edges from our little packs of gel and chews are now rubbing my skin raw. On a 10-miler, our house key that was hanging on a lanyard around my neck and tucked into my bra actually fell through the bottom and scraped up my abdomen. And then there's the regular chafing around the elastic that's going to happen even if one's bra isn't stuffed with keys, food, and sometimes an iPod and credit cards.
I told a friend of ours my ill-advised practice and it reminded him of a funny story he heard while living in Kenya in the sixties. At the time, the first lady of Kenya was a glamorous woman named Ngina Kenyatta, known there as "Mama Ngina" (she is in fact also the mother of Kenya's current president). During her tenure, Queen Elizabeth visited Kenya for the first time, and Mama Ngina invited her over for tea.
Mama Ngina pulled out all the stops to impress the royals with an elaborate tea service fit for, well, a queen. At the last minute, Mama Ngina realized she forgot the sugar, so in her haste, she grabbed a few sugar cubes, wrapped them in a handkerchief, and shoved it down her bosom. My friend said that this wasn't so unusual. It was a common practice for Kenyan women to shove sweets down their blouses to have on hand to quickly feed their children and whatnot.
When the tea was poured, Mama Ngina asked Her Majesty if she'd like some sugar. Queen Elizabeth declined. Prince Phillip, however, said he would like some. So Mama Ngina walks over to where he is sitting, whips out the sugar from her bra, leans over and offers him a cube, saying, "Would you also like some milk?"
"He most certainly does not!" the Queen replied.
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