Dad lifted the telephone and routed for Pauline’s number (the lady who hosts the book club). My sister began quizzing me about being the May Queen, but they were all questions I couldn’t answer. I went to my room and sulked. In previous years, I didn’t pay much attention to the May Queen thing so I didn’t really know what to expect. I know she leads the parade and is flanked by a group of girls dressed in similar white frocks, but other than that it’s all a bit of a mystery. Mother arrived home an hour or so later. She called me down and got over excited that I’d been chosen as May Queen. It took me a while to shut her up in order to explain that I haven’t been chosen, but am merely one of the final eight nominees. “The May Queen could be any one of us… we don’t know who yet.” I finally managed to explain.
This information took the wind out of Mother’s sails, thankfully. “Oh well… even if you don’t become this year’s May Queen, you’ll be one of her Seven Sisters… that’s something.” she optimistically told me.
“But… I don’t want to be one of them either… that stuff’s for girls.”
“Not any more it isn’t.” my mother smugly stated. “I think it’s great that boys can finally take part.”
“I don’t… especially if one of them is me.” I mumbled. “Mother… can you tell Brown Owl that I don’t want to do it?”
“But why don’t you want to do it?” Mother asked. “It’s a great honour for a child your age…”
“Maybe for girl my age!” I interrupted.
“It’s an even greater honour to be the first ever boy May Queen.” my mother told me.
“Your mother’s right son… in years to come you’ll look back on this and…” he paused. “Actually Vincent… I understand your reluctance, I really do, but your mother has set her heart on it when we nominated you.. she rallied around and got our friends and family to vote for you… I got the guys at work to do the same.” he informed me. “If you can’t do it for yourself, then do it for your mother.”
“But… I really really really really really don’t want to do it.” I stated. “Please don’t make me.” I pleaded. “Everyone’s going to think I’m a right sissy, even if I’m not May Queen I’ll still have to wear a dress.”
“I can’t wait to see that!” my sister grinned. I told her to shut up. “Hey Mother… he could wear some of my old dresses and practice being a girl!” she suggested. Again, I told her to shut up. Both Mother and Dad suggested that I ‘pipe down’. “I’m only trying to help Vincent.” my sister smugly claimed.
I pleaded with my mother to tell Brown Owl that I didn’t want to do it, but she refused because she wanted me to do it. I begged my father who claimed to understand my reluctance, but ultimately he sided with my mother. There’s no point asking my sister. “Well… I’ll just tell Brown Owl myself at next week’s Brownie group.”
“OK… but at least spend your time between now and then having good long think about it.” my mother said. “And rather than ‘tell’ Brown Owl what you want to do, talk to her about it, with an open mind.” she suggested.
I spent the time thinking long and hard about it. I also spent much of that time being teased and taunted by some of the kids at school about being nominated for May Queen. So was Antony who’s in the year below me, and I suspect his older brother Benjimin who’s in the first year at high school was also being teased. No matter which way I looked at it, being May Queen or one of her Seven Sisters would be an awful experience… maybe it’d be nice if I was a girl, but I’m not, I’m a boy and boys simply don’t do stuff like that. The prospect of having to dance around the May Pole was bad enough, but at least we don’t have to wear dresses to do that! The weekend came and went and I endured my Nana, aunt and my cousins Sally & Sarah all claimed that it would be wonderful if I was the next May Queen. I wasn’t surprised when my Granddad, uncle Philip and cousin Paul seemed just as bemused as I at the prospect. “You never know Vincent… you might enjoy it.” Uncle Phil told me.
“I doubt it.” I mumbled.
“Maybe that’s what he’s afraid of!?” my sister suggested. Predictably, I told her to shut up.
On Tuesday at school, I crossed paths with Antony , one of the other nominees. He asked me if I was going to Brownies tonight. “I’m going to tell Brown Owl that I don’t want to be part of it.” I replied.
“I keep telling my Mother that.” Antony mournfully replied. “…but she’s set her heart on us being part of the parade.” he sighed.
“Mine too.” I retorted, adding my Dad, sister, Nanna, aunt and cousins to the list of supporters. “It’s going to be horrible having to wear a dress in front of all those people.”
“I know.” Antony glumly agreed. “Going to Brownies will be bad enough.”
“Well… like I say, I’m only going to tell Brown Owl that I’m not going to do it.”
“I guess I’ll see you tonight.” Antony said before we went our separate ways.
I arrived home from school, did my homework, watched TV, had supper and fully expected to be asked to wash the dishes. Instead, my sister was asked. “Isn’t it my turn?” I quizzed, knowing that my sister did the dishes last night.
“Well you’ve got Brownies tonight.” my mother replied. “You can do them tomorrow.”
“I’ve got Cubs tomorrow.”
“No you haven’t.” Mother replied . “You go to Brownies now.”
“No… I’m only going to Brownies to tell Brown Owl that I don’t want to be May Queen.” I stated. “..or one of the Seven Sisters.” I added.