DAR ES SALAAM, Oct. 18 -- ASK many Tanzanians who first represented the country at Miss World and Theresa Shayos name arrives before the question has even removed its shoes. She won Miss Tanzania in 1967, travelled to London and earned her place in our national memory quite rightly, too.

However, history has somebody waiting outside with an older invitation, wondering whether the receptionist went to lunch in 1960 and never returned.

Her name is Carmen Lesley Woodcock. She represented Tanganyika at Miss World in 1960, seven years before Theresa. Somehow, whenever we tell our beauty-pageant story, we open the family album at page two. Page one has been sitting there all along, wondering whether it owes somebody money.

Let us settle one ...