Dear Sir, - Letters from and about monopedes have been pleasantly frequent and interesting recently.
Rather than let the burden of writing fall entirely on the shoulders of the few, it is up to us all to contribute, encouraging the hesitant to start and stimulating the infrequent writers to send more news and photographs wherever possible of their experiences and activities. Some, having written once, believe they have said all. This is far from true, for fresh incidents are always happening, the more so at the present time.
What of the limbless under war conditions? There must be many things to relate if only monopedes will write to "London Life" about them.
I am fortunate in having several one-legged friends and, through them, many more acquaintances amongst the limbless, and I can testify that life no more stands still for them than for normal people.
Kay, for instance, is an extremely good-looking blonde of 22, graceful of carriage, and blessed with a well-curved, full-proportioned youthful figure which she contrives to emphasise with up-to-the-minute fashions in clothes and heavy make-up.
A year ago she was an exceptionally attractive monopede using a single black pole crutch with a high-heeled shoe and a sheer silk stocking on her remaining leg.
At home her crutch was invariably in its stand by the door whilst Kay hopped agilely about or else donned her peg-leg if she was moving about for any length of time.
I ought to mention that her left leg had been taken off just above the knee joint, making the use of a wooden leg easy. This latter was one of the simple thin spindle open bucket affairs, padded at the base of the bucket for comfort, with two straps across the leg to tighten and hold the peg in position when the stump had been inserted. No waistbelt or shoulder braces were attached, so that it could be slipped on and tightened in place in a few seconds, without Kay having to divest herself of any garments. Indeed her knicker leg served the purpose of a stump sock when wearing the peg-leg.
She is the only monopede I have ever known to leave an artificial support in full view to visitors. She was entirely unselfconscious and when going out would casually detach the pin-leg, put it in the crutch stand, adjust her pole crutch under her arm and swing out. When returning she would just as unconcernedly replace the crutch and slip an her wooden peg to the visible discomfort of the strangers present.
Since those days Kay's right leg was afflicted similarly to her missing left and she was compelled an operation in which she lost her remaining member in about the same place - just above the knee. She has amazing spirit, for, far from getting her down, she was soon boasting of her unique twin stumps.
For many months she was wheeled about in a carriage with rugs over her to disguise her loss. It wasn't long before these were dispensed with.
Kay usually dressed in a brightly coloured chiffon frock which hung several inches empty over the edge off the carriage seat, revealing her double loss in no uncertain manner. She was in no way abashed at the astonished stares cast her way, but sat proudly erect, smiling happily, her hair - almost platinum blonde - perfectly in place in a long pageboy roll at the base of her neck, heavily made up and rouged, with absurdly long earrings resting on her shoulders; She was amazing, and knew it.
An occasional disturbance of her skirt and the partial emptiness of it confirmed that the remains of her nether limbs were almost equal, finishing some inches from the edge of the seat.
Incidentally, Kay, new to her limbless state, is helpless above floor level. Once there however, with a corduroy bag pulled over her lower extremity to protect her dress, she gets about well by swinging her trunk between her hands. Stairs are negotiated sitting back towards them one at a time.
It is strange to think that I have known her as a monopede, then with a peg leg, and now legless. Now she has only got an extremely shapely pair of lightweight metal artificial legs. As she has only had them a few weeks she can as yet do no more than fix them on and wait for someone to lift her about. Her mobility is nil and she can only stand when erected. Her ambition is to get about without any aid, which should be possible with her amputations. Till she gets the feel of them amusing incidents keep happening.
New shoes have to be bought, as it is years since she owned a pair, and consequently they are a tight fit. There is no give in her new feet and none in the shoes, so if Kay puts her legs on (which she insists on doing herself) without putting the shoes on first, both have to come off again to be dressed.
When the legs were first delivered Kay insisted on trying them on immediately. I shall never forget the comical appearance of her being held upright with two shiny silver legs extending beneath her skirt and finishing in two leather-covered solid feet. Of course stockings were put on but, being too sheer, allowed the aluminium to glint through, so now the order of dressing for the metal limbs is nude shade lisle foundation with silk on top.
Kay's will-power is such that before long she will be as independent legless as she was as a monopede.
Yours truly,
A. M. F.