Jacob removed some white items from a hanger and handed one to Mark. He then beckoned his little brother over and put him in a Victorian style cotton pinafore. It completely covers his dress and fastens with three buttons high on the back. Marks mother took his pinafore and held it for him to slip his hands through its arm holes. “How is this a pinafore?” he asked as his mother turned him around and fastened its buttons. “It’s nothing like the school pinafores.”
“You’re thinking of a pinafore dress. This is a pinafore apron.” his mother replied as he turned to face her. “It’s like you’ve stepped back in time.” she smiled.
“Yeah… to when these really were girl’s clothes.” Mark frowned as they all seated themselves.
“Actually lots of boys wore dresses in Victorian and Edwardian times.” Lydia told him, claiming that there’s plenty of old photographs on the internet. “They wore them for church and Sunday school, summer fêtes and holiday outings, all sorts of reasons.” she reckoned.
“I’ve never heard of that.” Mark replied.
“Maybe Claire can find the pictures on her laptop after dinner.” Lydia suggested.
“I’ll be busy installing all the software I need for my studies.” Claire replied. “Anyway Jacob’s already seen them. Haven’t you.”
“Yeah.” Jacob glumly said.
“So what do you want to do after you’ve left school Claire?” Charlotte asked.
“Go to university.”
“Obviously.” Charlotte replied, before asking what she’d like to study.
“Engineering.” Claire confidently replied. “Or management.” she added.
“You can always do both, a bright young woman like you.” Charlotte suggested. “Mark hasn’t got much idea what he wants to do.” she said.
“I know what I’d like to do but chances are I won’t be able to.” Mark replied.
“He has this wild idea about working in the movie industry doing special effects.” his mother told everyone.
“That’d be well cool.” Jacob said.
“Yes but he’s got to be realistic. There’s no movie studios around here and he’d have to go to college first, then get the relevant industry training… you’re best focusing on doing a domestic science course and getting a cleaning job somewhere.” Charlotte explained.
“But I don’t want to be a cleaner.” Mark groaned as Jacob was called into the kitchen.
“Well there’s not much else for boys these days.” his mother reminded him. “And once you’re married you’ll probably be a house-husband like Harry.” she said as Jacob’s dad appeared with plate of steaming food in each hand. Jacob followed, also carrying plates of steaming food.
“Someone mentioning my name?” Jacob’s dad said.
“We were just talking about job prospects for boys these days.” Lydia replied. “They don’t have the same choices young women have and will most likely end up a house-husband like you.”
“Aye… it’s all changed since when I was a lad.” Harry said as he set one plate down in front of his wife and the next in front of Charlotte. “Back then we had a good chance of getting into university, but little chance of getting a graduate job afterwards.” he frowned. Jacob put a plate in front of his sister and another in front of Mark before following his dad back to the kitchen to fetch the remaining plated meals. With dinner served and everyone seated, they all tucked in to a scrumptious Christmas dinner.
Roast potatoes, roast parsnips, mashed carrot & swede, mashed potato, cabbage, sprouts, pigs in blankets and roast turkey… all doused in a thick meaty gravy. “This is wonderful Harry.” Charlotte commented. “How do you keep the turkey so moist and succulent?” she asked. “It’s always dry when I cook it.” she added.
Harry jovially declined to reveal his culinary secrets. “I’ve been sending him to cookery classes.” Lydia proudly revealed. “Doesn’t Mark do any cooking at home?” she asked.
“He helps with the peeling and chopping and washing up.” Charlotte said, before adding “I must say I do like the boys’ pinafores… I was a little worried that Mark would get gravy on his new dress but now I can relax.” she smiled. “Did you buy them locally.”
“Jacob made them at his sewing club.” Lydia replied.
“Jacob goes to a sewing club!” Mark silently exclaimed.
“You go to a sewing club?” Charlotte said. Jacob nodded, albeit not very proudly. “Well you must be very clever, making all these pinafores.” she complimented, yet also patronising the boy somewhat. To be fair, with the frilly trim around the arm holes and more around the hem, they would have taken some needlework know-how.
“He made his father’s apron and the napkins too.” Lydia proudly added, before explaining that he’s only been going a couple of months.
“So what’s the best thing you’ve made?” Charlotte asked the boy.
“I dunno… Dad’s apron was probably the most complicated.” Jacob shyly answered.
“There’s your modesty shorts too.” his mother said. “A lot of work went into those.”
“What are modesty shorts?” Mark ignorantly asked.