By Keisha McDuffie/reporter

Several years ago, cheer-leaders across America made every girl who couldn’t make the cut incredibly envious of not only their herkies and uniforms on the field, but their exclusive sweatpants with the word “CHEER” emblazoned on the derrière.

Naturally, it wasn’t long before every off-brand clothing line was biting the originals to accommodate inadequate-feeling girls everywhere.

Unfortunately, these sweat pants have equally off words, like HOPE, NASTY and LOVE. I’ve even seen some sporting the word LUCK.

How burnt-orange Capri sweatpants with the large, glittering word “LUCK” appliquéd across the rear appeal to anyone is an article in itself. Only a sick sense of humor or revenge could possess anyone to give such a gift.

Whom are words displayed across the rear meant to target? Unlike CHEER, a rather self-explanatory verb, are these other words describing words or action words? Is it a question or a wish of good fortune?

And what exactly does LUCK displayed in such a sensitive area mean? It doesn’t say LUCKY, which I would prefer and understand. No, it simply says LUCK. As in “good LUCK with my rear” or “good LUCK getting my rear.” Maybe it’s intended to mean, “This is a LUCKY rear!”

Plug HOPE into the butt statement and its intention is less attractive to figure out.

Even more baffling to me is when a 20-something-year-old cheerleader-wannabe standing in line at Blockbuster (wearing her “NASTY” sweatpants) being thoroughly appreciated by the six Geek Squad gamers standing behind her dares to appear offended. 

Now, it should be known I am a not-so-20-anymore female, and if I don’t get the message another female is trying to send on her bootygram, how could a male of any age be expected to?

I am consistently confused by their offended reactions. Why would anyone wear a message across her rear end and dare to act violated when an innocent bystander strains to read this seemingly important message? After all, it could be only so effective on a freeway billboard.

Obviously, the words of wisdom weren’t intended for the pant wearer but for onlookers’ entertainment. Surely, this is apparent to the numerous females wearing such message attire on TCC campuses.

Whether it be the passer-by, who could most definitely read such a rear from across the street, or the elderly woman standing behind an expressive backside in the grocery store, one will never know what such onlookers are left thinking.

I wonder what in the world that lost little girl was thinking and why she can’t just say it instead of talking out of her … um, nevermind.