On the Politics of Being Topfree or Going Topless

I suppose this to be a topic that might be of interest. 

As I mentioned earlier, my boyfriend is American; and we visit each other in our localities, his in Texas and mine in Picardie.  The customs are different in those places, and it occasionally leads to misunderstandings.

Anyway, he lives in the country; and while he works at his university position, I roam around the surroundings.  It happened one day that I saw an inviting pond, and being a warm day, I dressed for a swim.  In my French manner -- wearing the bottom only!  I had no idea this was outré!

Anyway, two elders on a fish trip happened along, and I came back on land, dressed in my jacket, and conversed.  They seemed friendly, and stayed for a time chatting.  It was a most pleasant time, and they were patient with my imperfect English pronunciation.  Indeed, I had made two new Texan friends!  And they were.

As they were about to leave, one said to me, "Miss Frannie, the girls in these parts usually wear a top also."

Then it dawned on me: oh-oh!  I goofed!

I asked Tom a general question about women and swimwear, and he confirmed the gentleman's statement.  And I turned a shade of red all over!

It's interesting: I felt no shame until I was made aware that I had transgressed a cultural norm.  And, since my guy was American, I tended to go comme un Américain in the future.

I asked my curé about this in the Confessional, and he was totally sympathetic: no sin.

It is funny: even the language that is used regarding wearing only the bottom of the swimsuit,: topless versus topfree is fraught with meaning:  Topless has the implication of something not there: a bad thing that should be corrected.  Topfree suggests a desirable state: one is not encumbered with a nonessential.  Sometimes the burdens of culture do encumber us, but it does not mean that we should always resist them.

I should add that my new friends did not tell on me.  Texans know how to be gentlemen, you must know!