I will be the first to admit that I'm a seriously uncool
person by society's standards. For one thing, I have never followed popular
music. Unless the electricity is out for more than 6 hours, or its Christmas, I
never listen to the radio except in my car. I prefer quiet inside my home.
Lately, whenever I go anywhere, anytime, the 1980's song by
Prince, Raspberry Beret always seems to be playing on my car radio. It's a
happy upbeat tune so I don't turn down the volume as I do many others. Frankly,
the oldies station is just too current for my taste.
I love folk songs! Almost everything else sounds like noise
to me. And by folk songs, I mean those from centuries past before they were
mutated into that hideous country whine & twang by the Appalachian
hillbillies.
As to the song Raspberry Beret, I can only make out a few of
the lyrics. For a long while, I thought Prince was singing Raspberry Buffet!!!
Which is another reason I enjoyed it, this conjured up wondrous toothsome
images of raspberry cake, raspberry torte, raspberry truffle, raspberry scones,
raspberry turnovers, raspberry cupcakes, raspberry muffins, raspberry parfaits,
raspberry mousse, raspberry cookies, raspberry ice cream; a glorious buffet of
all things raspberry!!! All of it washed down with tangy raspberry tea! Not to mention raspberry combined with dark
chocolate is a taste straight out of heaven!
Yes, I did get the Second Hand Store part. However there is
a high end consignment place down in Fort Pierce that holds an open house with
an elaborate buffet around the holidays. My friend, Marie & I have attended
several times and we didn't need to eat dinner afterward.
This shop has many beautiful and interesting items. I've
made several purchases there, but so far no berets, not at this one anyway. And
I happen to own a varied assortment of these, but no raspberry one! The closest
is a light pink, the color of a creamy raspberry mousse. The kind you make by
adding Raspberry Jello mix to whipped topping and blending. Chill and place fresh
raspberries on top along with dark chocolate shavings and people will be
impressed. I guarantee it!
Most of my berets are of the style with a large nipple on
top; one has a long feather on the side. Two have a knit flower there, those I
purchased at Claire's in the mall. The really classy-looking one with the
buttons on the side I bought from Frederick's of Hollywood. (No one can believe
it's their product!) And I have a black one with a bow on the side that looks
almost identical to the one Monica Lewinsky made infamous. Only I bought mine
at a consignment place several years before.
The last time I wore this one, I was coming out of the mall
as a man was coming in. He gave me a wink! My reaction was eeeewww! I hope he
doesn't think I'm anything like THAT woman!
But whenever I wear any of my berets, I seem to attract a
lot of attention from men. Guys seem to get excited by these little hats,
especially men from a certain generation, but others too as attested by the
song.
About 15 years ago, I had just paid for a meal at Applebee's.
As I headed for the door a young waiter (not mine) hurried over and opened it
for me. "You are such a beautiful lady, thank you for coming in," he
said. I was taken back with surprise, but flattered! However I do believe that
giant nipple coming out of the side of my head probably gave me a certain air
of je ne sais quoi.
Another time I was standing in line at Walmart wearing my
black nipple beret & black boots along with a gray jumper & white
turtleneck. The man in front turned and told me, "Looking at you, I feel
like I'm back in France."
With a flourish of my hand I replied in a phony French
accent, "In my heart, I am a European woman." I don't think he knew
how to respond, he said nothing. But the clerk cackled!
I thought back to my late 20's when I was visiting Paris. I
happened to be seated at a cafe when along came a group of Japanese tourists
and they started snapping photos of me. No, I wasn't wearing a beret. But my blonde hair was jaw length that year.
Here in Florida, 10 months of summer isn't unusual anymore
thanks to global warming. So my berets are stuffed in the back of a closet now,
they're more of a cool weather accessory. Nowadays, I'm usually in wide-brimmed
hats and big sunglasses, better for enduring the blazing sun and the sweltering
heat & humidity.
However, last winter we were blessed with chilly weather. Mostly,
I was homebound. I'm not complaining, it felt like playing hooky.
Spring is here and for breakfast this morning I enjoyed fresh
raspberries. I sing loudly and off-key my own words to the Prince song:
"Raspberry Buffet! Hey! Hey! Hey!"
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