Karen and the assistant were satisfied they were a good fit, in spite of Michael’s protests; ‘they look silly’, ‘but they have a heel’, ‘but… buckles!’. He didn’t say, ‘too small’, ‘too big’ or ‘not wide enough, so they were purchased, along with a pair of black pumps for PE.

His thoughts were unwillingly cast back to the final days of primary school… the boys wear gym slips, leotards, and knickers too… those teasing voices echoed in his head. “Do I need a leotard too?” He asked immediately before cursing himself for not thinking before speaking.

“Not unless you want one dear.” The assistant smiled. “Not all the rumors about Ashford are true you know.” She reassured. “But you might need some football boots.” She advised encouragingly.

Finally, the assistant suggested something Michael considered to be for boys only… football boots! She also reminded his mother that he’d probably need some training shoes for cross country and track & field sports.