I was hanging out at a cafe with a friend - one of those cafes where they make you sit on the floor (okay they have cushions and all) - when this couple walked in.

I have no recollection of how the guy looked (nothing surprising there), but as the girl walked in, I whispered to my friend, “she’s so gonna zaogeng”. She was in some kind of dress or frock which was extremely short, and yes, she did expose herself.

Impressed by my own predictive ability, I decided to make a further prediction.

“I predict that in the future, within 10 years, a lot of girls will find it ok to zaogeng. They’ll find it ok to wear a skirt, sit with their legs open, and let people see what they’re wearing inside. What do you think?”

My friend thought for a while. She must have been imagining herself in that position. The fresh air. The breeze. The freedom.

“Not possible,” she declared. She was more conservative than I had expected.

“Now think about it… last time, when girls are seated, they make sure that their panties aren’t exposed in the rear. They make sure everything is all covered up. These days, it’s ok to show your panties at the rear when you’re sitting or bending over. It’s ok to show your ass crack. Some girls even make sure you know that they’re wearing g-strings.”

I took a sip of my latte, and continued, “and last time, no one would imagine letting anyone see their bra, or even bra strap. These days, some bra straps are meant to be seen. And some girls wear such low cuts such that their bras are meant to be clearly seen.”

I’m not one to go on a monologue, but this was an exception. “And if you think about it, you’re not revealing more than when you wear a bikini. In fact, you’re still revealing less.”

She must have been confounded. It was time for the conclusion. “So think about it - it’s becoming acceptable to reveal more and more. Eventually, girls will find it ok to expose the front of their undies. No big deal.”

It took a while, but my logic was hard to beat. She had to acknowledge that I was probably right.

I’ll be a happier boy man in 10 years.

* * *

I’m reminded of what my ex-colleague used to say:

“Every time Britney Speares is on a new MTV, she’s wearing a little less. I’m not interested in her other MTVs - I just want to watch her last MTV.”