Peter could have argued all day and all night long, but knowing that money doesn’t grow on trees, he reluctantly concedes. Over supper that evening, Peter’s mother asks his sister if she’ll route out her old school skirts so Peter can try them for size. “You going to wear a skirt then?” Paula asks her brother.
“It looks like I have to.” he frowns.
“Cool.” she smiles. “Those culottes the boys will be wearing look horrendous.”
“I’m sure a skirt will look worse.” Peter replied.
Later that evening, his sister roots out her old school skirts and gives them to Peter. “Thanks.” he frowns as he takes the bundle and places them on his bed, before opening his wardrobe and removing a handful of empty clothes hangers.
“Oh… you’ll need some skirt hangers instead of those.” she said, before popping out and returning a moment later with a handful of skirt hangers. Peter reluctantly thanks her and begins clipping the skirts to the hangers.
“Aren’t you going to try them on first?” she asks.
“Not until I have to.” he replies.
“But they might not fit.” she informed him.
Reluctantly, Peter tries on a skirt hoping that it won’t fit, but unfortunately it fits quite well. “Let’s see how it looks with your shirt on too.” his sister insists. So he puts his school shirt on. “Hmm… it’s a bit too baggy.” she says, observing how it bellows out of his waistband. “A fitted one would look better.”” she adds before disappearing and returning a moment later, “Try this.” she says, passing him one of her old school shirts.
“This is a blouse.” he complains as pushes his arms through the sleeves.
“It’s a fitted shirt.” she replies.
“The buttons are the wrong way round.” he moans as he struggles to fasten them.
“Are you going to wear socks or tights?” she asks.
“Socks, obviously!” he replies.
“And shoes?” she asks.
“Er… yes… I’ll be wearing shoes too.” he retorted.
“Which shoes?”
“My shoes.” he told her.
“Well… let’s see how they look.” she asks. So he pulls on a pair of his socks followed by his usual school shoes, and his sister screws up her nose and shakes her head. “What?” he asked.
“They just don’t look right… and those socks are so wrong.” his sister informed him, before suggesting he try knee socks instead.
“I don’t wear knee socks.” Peter retorted. “I’m not going to wear yours!” he added after his sister said she’d fetch him a pair of hers. Peter insisted his own shoes and socks looked fine, but Paula disagreed… so a third opinion was required.
“Mum.” Paula said as she entered the sitting room. “Don’t you think Pete would look better with some of my socks instead of…”
“Oh that looks OK.” their mother said as Peter reluctantly emerged from behind the door, clad in his sister’s old school skirt and one of her blouses. “How does it feel?” she asked him.
“Weird.” Peter said, looking down at himself.
“Well it will at first.” his mother smiled as her eyes dropped to his feet. “I think Paula’s right about those socks love.” she added. “Knee socks would look better.” she suggested. “Or tights.”
“I’m not wearing tights mum.” Peter moaned. “And I’d rather not wear knee socks either.”
“Well if you’re going to insist on wearing ankle socks, I’m going to insist they’re white.” his mother told him. “Paula’s got plenty.” she added after her son said that he doesn’t have any white socks.
Peter looked down at himself, nervously felt the pleats on the skirt and said “I can’t believe I’m going to go to school in this.” He gulped and looked at his mother with pleading eyes.
“I know you’d rather not wear a skirt, but it looks OK.” his mother assured. “Is that one of Paula’s shirts?”
“It’s a blouse.” Peter replied.
“It’s one of my old school ones.” Paula stated, “But I guess it’s yours now.” she said to her brother.
“Will you get him some socks?” their mother said to Paula.
“Sure.” Paula replied as she squeezed past her brother. Peter began to follow her.
“You may as well stay here Peter.” his mother advised, before asking him to come closer so she could have a proper look.
“Oh mum… stop fussing.” he moaned as she put her fingers down the waistband of his skirt.
“I’m just making sure it fits.” she replied. “Does it feel OK?”
“No!” he replied. “I feel like a dork.” he sighed. “Surely it’s illegal to send lads to school dressed like this?”
