Weekend in Somerset

by Geraden

My wife runs a netball club, and I spent last weekend in Somerset at a two-day netball tournament. We took our car with our daughter and a school friend of hers; the other coach drove the team in a minibus. Friday was very hot, so I drove down barelegged in shorts. I had packed a couple of pairs of tights however, just in case. By late evening it had cooled down sufficiently to try the tights, for which my aching legs were grateful. (I get cramps in my legs, particularly the left one, which the doctor put down to 'stress'. Well, wearing tights is one of the best forms of relaxation I know of and - though I suspect the doctor is wrong about the stress - the tights really help with the leg aches.)

Saturday was dull and very noticeably cooler. So I wore beige Activskin M610 tights with my shorts all day. There must have been over 600 netball players there aged from 13 to 16, together with coaches, umpires, officials and supporters. The tights were not particularly noticeable, especially on a dull day, and I do not think many people noticed them. Our own team was different of course. Some of them had seen me in shorts and tights before, but most of them had not. In a break between two matches, I was sitting on a camp chair and the team members were lying on a blanket nearby, so they got a good look and at one point they all burst out laughing and giggling. They were not nasty, and said nothing to me, but it was obvious that the sight of a man wearing tights was too much for them. Well, what can you expect from a bunch of 15 year old girls?

My wife informed me later (surprise, surprise) that they had been laughing at my tights. I said that I was glad to have been able to amuse them. Unfortunately my wife is not quite so relaxed about it as I am.  Well, I stuck to my tights and no more was said on the subject. In the evening it has become traditional to go with the girls to the nearby fun-fair. We don't take them, but we are there if they need us. I know from experience how cool it can get sitting around outside in the evening while the girls go on the rides, so I wore long trousers, but I made sure that I kept my tights on. 

Sunday was warmer again, and I persuaded my daughter and her friend that instead of spending money on site in the Amusements they should come out for a walk. They objected at first but in the end they said they had enjoyed it. We went up on the Down, a rocky promontory that juts out a mile or more into the Bristol Channel. A hat on my head, sun cream on my arms and face and 15 denier on my legs – perfect sun protection. Besides the sun there was a nice light breeze, and I was wearing tights and shorts. What more could a man ask for? We all had an ice-cream at the café at the foot of the Down, so the kids were happy too. They were quite ok with me in tights. None of the people we encountered on the Down noticed, so far as I could tell. (Sorry you could not see much of my legs in the picture. My only excuse is that I didn't take it!)

It was warm when we returned to the site, and was showing every sign of getting warmer. I actually took my tights off, but my legs felt so cold and unloved without them, that I put my tights straight back on again. So I remained for the rest of the day, including the drive home.

There must have been nearly 1,000 people at the netball event. Tights spotted: one player seen wearing matt stw on court on the Saturday (pity not more do this, especially in the colder weather!). Two spotted wearing at the fun fair on Saturday night. One was wearing very nude sheers, and I would not have noticed if it were not for the huge rip that went nearly half way round one of her thighs, just at hem-line. There was no laddering, though, so she was lucky. One man was wearing tights with shorts, but few people noticed. (Oh, sorry, that was me!)

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