Lap Scarf

Today four fellow residents and I busted out of VCCA to attend the local Lynchburg Christmas Craft Fair. We meandered from stall to stall, lingering over pottery and bound leather journals, but for me the standout was a bow-tie stand. The vendor, who was also the designer, was young with gorgeous teeth and an assertive entrepreneurial streak. Drawn in by her smile and all of the polka dots, I asked her about one of her products, a square-shaped piece of material with a lace border (seen at the bottom left corner of photo).

“Oh, that’s a lap scarf,” she said matter-of-factly.

I admitted that didn’t help me any. “What’s a lap scarf?”

“For church. In case your skirt’s too short and you’re sitting in the front row, so the preacher doesn’t see all your goodies.”

She said it was a cherished custom in her church. If a woman came without a lap scarf, with a skirt length that might distract the preacher, she would be handed a towel by another woman. The ultimate humiliation: much better to carry your own lap scarf at all times, just to be on the safe side.

A husband and wife couple joined me at the stall. Both wore orange shirts so bright it was like staring into the sun. They inquired whether the woman sold orange neckties. His and hers, I assumed.