We searched through the boys' clothing and underwear section for that special cup...with no luck. We searched in the mens' clothing and underwear areas but no "groin protectors". So I finally gave in and asked a salesperson. Now keep in mind, I couldn't remember what the groin protector was called. So when I found a salesperson, approx 23 years old, in the boys department, I kind of smiled and rolled my eyes and asked, "Ummm, do you know if you carry any groin protectors...you know the things used for sports and to protect the groin area." The girl tried to look professional but smiled back and embarrassed, replied, "yea, I know what you're talking about. Did you look by the boxers and socks?" I nodded yes. So she picked up a walkie talkie microphone and....YES just like in the movies...pushed a button and spoke into the intercom and throughout the entire store asking, "boys department, do we carry groin protectors?" Embarrassed, I busted up laughing. And Tayshaun's jaw dropped open and he looked down at the floor laughing and then looked at me laughing and tried not to laugh too obvious because he looked embarrassed for the girl speaking in the intercom. And of course, every shopper around us looked directly at the girl talking into the walkie talkie intercom and then.....at me and Tayshaun, giggling. So sales person's walkie talkie got a response (but not so it was blaring over the store speakers) and asked, "do you mean an athletic cup?" then I really started laughing until my eyes were tearing up. "Oh yeah, that's what it's called." I told Tayshaun.
Well, we found out those thinger-ma-jigs were in the sporting good section right by the baseball mitts. So after making our purchases and while driving home, Tayshaun ripped the athletic cup out of the box and started examining it. He asked me how it worked. The one that we purchased is similar to the one in this pic but has a hard cup that's tucked into that elephant trunk thing in the front.
When we got home, Tayshaun ran directly upstairs to try on his new underwear. Shortly, he came out parading his new jock strap with the elephant trunk covering his butt crack and the jock "strap" NOT covering his own elephant trunk. He's laughing and swinging his junk in front of me and says, "and so where does this cup go?"I just busted up and was thinking....this is NOT MY job!!!!! So I informed him that he had the thing on backwards. And that just made him start cracking up more. So he went back upstairs and put the thing on right but he still couldn't figure out how the cup fit in the cup holder. Eventually we got the cup where it was supposed to be and Tayshaun felt pretty proud about his groin protector. He insisted that I test the protection out...."hit me, Mom! Kick my cup! It's protected!" But when I declined to test it out, he went upstairs and put on his jammies.
Later after I tucked him into bed, he yelled into my room, "Mom, what would happen if I weared that athletic cup all day long?" I told him, "Nothing would happen. You'll be wearing it all day tomorrow during the tournament. Right?" He got quiet again for a little bit and then, "So what would happen if I wore it all NIGHT long?" I started laughing, "Tayshaun, are you still wearing that groin protector?" And he started giggling.
