By TJ Ray

Out of the mouths of babes often comes wisdom — even babes in a new language.

Back in 1964, the college over in Starkville required all juniors to take a Junior Proficiency Exam. Its sister university in Oxford also had such a hurdle to be jumped before graduation. It had one part: the writing of a 500-word them on a topic chosen from a prescribed list, done in three hours.

This was not a test of trivial consequences. Failure forced the student to then sign up for English 542, “Bonehead English,” which he then had to pass before he could get a degree. Students were known to take the course six times before (probably) one of the cadre of masochists teaching the course gave up and gave out a D.

No reason for me to bore you with how the list of topics came about, and I have no recollection of American social movements in 1964 to suggest that the following topic was even going around. Nevertheless, one very nice young man submitted this essay.

I say “nice young man” because he became well known to me in the three times I had him in Bonehead English.

I Do Not Like Topless Suit

There are many things which I don’t like in ideal society. One of them is more critisied and against law of land that is “Topless Suit”. I hate the man or women who designed this type of vulgour bathing suit! I see only one reason for women to take them on the way of unhappy life when anything becomes extreme, like sex.

Why our forefathers and old rulers had made rules and regulations for sex in publik?

They were knowing that sex is the main cause which creates more difficulty in society and life. Still there are rules and regulations in all countries. I believe that due to attraction of sex the morality of the society goes down. people becomes more crazy and destroy their life.

To take bath in open public place without any cloth on body is looks like a man living before thousands of years ago. Then what is the meaning of our civilization?

Can we say ourselves that we are better than animal? Because animal they don’t use any cloth on their body. Really we are keep going on the way of barberisum.

Every thing should be in limit, but when it goes out of limit or extreme then it destroyes.

To keep society clean, happy and ideal then their should be limit on these type of dresses. Sex is the thing which can enjoy to satisfy the man and woman but not for trouble or shame like a naked sister on front of brother.

I share his words with you not to ridicule him. Were I whisked away to a land of sand, camels and palm trees, I very likely would have been confused if asked to comment on current clothing trends among the people. In fact, his essay — after a bit of mulling over the word choice offers some insights into our culture.

Wish he were here to explain contemporary drug habits of young folks in my country.

TJ Ray is a retired professor of English at Ole Miss.