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Guest opinion: The importance of pink striped panties

By Staff | Jun 5, 2023

Photo supplied

Anneli Byrd

Sometimes, random items take on a symbolic significance. Such are pink striped panties, which, as you may not know, represent the height of maturity, wisdom and responsibility.

My daughter Catherine and I made this surprising discovery at the Orlando airport when we stopped at the bathroom before our flight. Little did we know this visit would change our lives. Certainly, we never expected to be so well entertained. As usual, we each went into a stall. In the stall between us was a little girl with no volume control and her mommy with a shushed, much tried voice.

“Mommy! These potties are way high up!”

“That’s OK, I’ve got you.”

“How far do my feets go down?”

I looked down and could see the tip of a shoe straining to reach the floor.

“Let’s not worry about that now. I need you to go pee.”

“Mommy! What does that say?”

“What? Oh. ‘For your safety, these facilities have been inspected by the Orlando department of health.’ Are you done?”

“MOMMY!” came a loud shriek of excitement. “I’m going POOP!”

From the stall on the far side of this little girl I heard a soft snort and knew that Catherine was also listening, as were probably a good 20 or so others similarly occupied. It’s a large airport.

“Shhhh, let’s just finish up here, OK?”

No such luck for Mommy. We all got a second-by-second commentary of the proceedings, punctuated by shushes and “Let’s use our indoor voice.”

“MOMMY! It went splash!!”

I’m sure everyone in that big bathroom winced right along with Mommy as she desperately tried to clean up and hush up her enthusiastic little daughter. She didn’t have a chance. We all heard about the big rolls of toilet paper and the mysterious silver container on the wall…

“What’s that?!”

“Uh … a special garbage can.”

“Why?”

“Just, NO! Don’t open it!”

“Going potty is important, right Mommy?”

“Uh huh. Look, it’s my turn now.” Mommy said in a very quiet voice. Can you just stand there quietly and wait for me?”

“Do you have to go poop too?” She asked with great interest.

“Shhhh!”

Then, a gasp of wonder. “Oh MOMMY! You have pink stripes on your panties!”

“Shhh, yes, shhh”

“My panties are blue. Panties are important, right mommy?”

“Uh huh, hang on, I’m almost done.”

“Can I have pink stripes on my panties when I grow up?”

A few minutes later Catherine and I were at the sinks washing our hands and smiling along with everybody else who had also been listening in. The other mommy, setting a good washing hands example, was emphatically not making eye contact with anybody.

As soon as they were well out of earshot, Catherine pulled at my arm. “Mommy! I need some pink striped panties!!”

“I don’t know dear,” I said grinning at her. “You’re not quite grown up yet.”

“When?! When will I be grown up!?”

“We’ll have to see. Pink striped panties are important, you know. They’re a big responsibility.”

“I’ll never be grown up enough to have pink-striped panties,” she said in mock sorrow.

The panties became a running joke over the next couple of years. That mother and daughter will never know how much joy they brought to us.

When Catherine graduated from high school, among other gifts, was a specially wrapped box, with her very own pair of pink striped panties. My girl had arrived.

Anneli Byrd is an academic adviser in Weber State University’s Student Success Center.

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