Laughter Really Is The Best Medicine

Yesterday, our weekly Library and shopping day, took a different turn. The kids and I started out at the Library, as usual, while Pa made his run across the street to the Post Office. I was tickled to learn the History books I had ordered for school had arrived. After leaving the Library, we veered from our normal routine. Rather than grocery shopping, Pa and Nathan dropped Lindsay and me off at the mall, while they headed off in another direction. It seems the male half of our family really isn't nearly so interested in mall happenings as Lindsay and I are.

For some reason, this last week has been a difficult one for me. I just haven't been feeling quite so happy go lucky as usual. Yesterday's trip to the mall, accompanied by my youngest daughter was just the thing to shake me from my doldrums. We started out at the restroom which it turned out was a very good thing! Our next stop was at Macy's, a store we seldom even bother glancing at. We tend to be of a more frugal mind than that shop allows. This time though, we were in a mood to try something a bit different, maybe get a taste of how the other half lives. Once inside we headed to the women's undergarment section. I'd been curious about the shapewear that seems to be all the rage, and there was quite the selection to choose from. I grabbed a few different styles and Lindsay and I headed to the fitting room. Fortunately, we were the only customers in that area.

The first piece a tried on, a cami was entertaining. I slipped it over my head, and attempted to pull it down. It wasn't cooperating. Finally, I figured out a hook had grabbed on in the back, where I couldn't reach it. Fortunately, Lindsay was with me and, doing her best to control her giggling, reached up and unhooked it, leaving me able to pull the garment down and into place. It fit okay, except for the top portion, which was too small. I managed to remove the garment with minimal difficulty, and we headed out to grab a couple more sizes to try. That's when the fun began!

I tried the next garment on, another cami. This one went on a bit easier.Naturally, the top portion of this one was too big. I decided to go ahead and hook the crotch anyway, just to see what I thought of the general fit. As leaned over, my glasses slipped off. Lindsay began giggling again. After repeated attempts at hooking, and keeping my glasses in place, I began chuckling. Lindsay's giggles had become laughter. Then came the removal. I gently began to pull it over my head.Then something odd happened. It stopped. It only made it part way over my head. The rest of the garment was stuck just below my shoulders. There I was, bent over at the waist, with this large, very strong rubber band stuck at my shoulders, dangling over my head, with my arms stuck hanging out beyond the dangling portion. Lindsay was laughing again. I said "Uh-Oh!". Her laughter became louder. As I attempted to wriggle out of this odd position, I gasped, as quietly as possible, "Oh No! I'm stuck!" My laughter joined Lindsay's, and soon, with me still in this rather strange, contorted position we were both laughing uncontrollably. She was standing against the door, as it didn't have a working lock. She tried to help me out of my impossible situation, pulling at one end with all her 9 year old might, to no avail. That made us laugh even harder! She was laughing so hard she could barely remain in a standing position. Fortunately, the bench was directly behind me, as I too was laughing so hard I could no longer stand. I fell back onto the bench. Somehow, while laughing so hard tears were welling up, and Lindsay holding her stomach from the pain of it all, I managed to wriggle out of my self imposed elastic torture chamber.

It was then we heard a voice from the other side of the door. The woman's voice sounded rather confused as she asked, "Is everything alright in there?" I somehow managed to choke back the laughter long enough to answer in the affirmative, before Lindsay and I both broke out laughing again.

As we exited the fitting rooms, and I replaced the garments in their original, undisturbed positions on the racks, the woman looked at us. She smiled as she commented that she had never heard anyone have so much fun in a fitting room before. Lindsay started laughing again as I responded, thanking her, and telling her it was fun. We walked through the doors of Macy's with no bags in our hands.We had spent nothing. What we left with was worth far more than money could buy. The smiles never left our faces the rest of the day, and we were still sharing some giggles over the whole ordeal this morning. I think I'll accept my 9 year olds words of wisdom. She says I'm already skinny, so I really don't need that sort of thing.

Of course, upon returning home I remembered reading somewhere that the way you don this sort of apparel, is to step into it, pulling it up, rather than attempting to pull it down over your head. Ah well. That wouldn't have been nearly as much fun!