William followed Andrew to the parlour; a room filled with posh furniture, tacky ornaments and vases filled with dried flowers. Unlike the sitting room, the parlour is seldom used. William perches on the sofa whilst Andrew sits on an armchair. He gulps before telling William in no uncertain terms that his dress was his mother’s choice, not his. “Yeah I gathered that.” William replied. “She doesn’t make you go out does she?”
“No… thank God.” Andrew replied. “I do have some boyish stuff that I could go out in but… even that’s a bit too girlie.” he frowned.
Andrew’s mother entered with a tray in hand. She set it on the coffee table and placed a glass of cordial in front of William, and another in front of Andrew. A plate bearing four chocolate digestives sat between them. “Thanks Mrs Smith” William said.
“You’re welcome William.” Andrew’s mother replied. “How are you enjoying your new school?”
“Errr….” William cautiously began. “…apart from the uniform, it’s OK I guess.”
“So long as the uniform keeps you inside the school gates, where you belong… it’s doing it’s job don’t you think?” Andrew’s mother replied.
“Yeah I guess.” William humbly replied.
Andrew’s mother left them alone. William cast his eyes around the uninspiring parlour and asked Andrew what his ‘new’ bedroom is like. “Horrid.” Andrew frowned. “..and it’s my sister’s room, not mine.”
“Can I see it?”
“I’d rather not.” Andrew hesitantly replied.
“It can’t be as bad as you described.” William claimed. Andrew assured him it was, and to prove it, he took his friend up to his new room. “Blimey!” William gasped. “Your sister’s what… twenty?” he asked. Andrew nodded. “This is like a little girl’s room.” William exclaimed.
“It hasn’t been decorated since she was about seven.” Andrew stated. “No wonder she moved out as soon as she left school.” he added.
“You’ve got loads of shoes.” William noted, seeing about twelve pairs all lined up by the skirting board.
“My sister has, or had.” Andrew replied. “Why mum didn’t get rid as she grew out of them I’ll never know.” he said. “Same with all her old clothes.” he added, opening the wardrobe to reveal a resplendent display of skirts, frocks and blouses.
“Blimey Andrew… how do you cope?”
Andrew sighed and said “By staying indoors. It’s only for another week I hope.”
“Yeah I guess.” William replied. He tore his eyes from the clothes in the wardrobe and looked Andrew up and down again. “I guess looking at half of those… that one’s not so bad after all.” he said. “I like the colour.”
Andrew looked down at his frock and screwed his nose up. “I’d rather listen to Deep Purple than wear it.” he dryly retorted.
William chuckled and cast his eyes around the ultra-girlie bedroom. Framed pictures of cute bears and Edwardian ladies hung from the walls. Posters of David Cassidy, David Essex and David Bowie are blu-tacked above the bed. The shelves are filled with Sindy dolls, teddy bears, books, games and various toys… all of which once belonged to is sister. William rummaged through a pile of comics; Bunty, Jinty, Mandy and Twinkle. “Do you read these?” he asked.
“No!” William spat. “They’re my sisters.” his stated. “Shall we go back down?” he said as William sat on the bed and picked up a floppy rag doll that lay on his pillow. “I hate it in here.”
“Yeah I guess.” William said as he put the rag doll back where it belonged. He tried to imagine what it must be like; going to sleep and waking up in such girlie surroundings, day in, day out. They returned to the parlour and listened to the radio for a while. Suzi Quatro’s Devil Gate Drive was played which reminded them of Thursday’s dance class. Both agreed that it would have been better if they’d danced to pop music for the whole class rather than just at the end. “Did you have to practice the ballet positions last night?” William asked. Andrew nodded and moaned about having to wear the pink tights and burgundy leotard whilst he did it. “Yeah so did I.” William replied.
“No… thank God.” Andrew replied. “I do have some boyish stuff that I could go out in but… even that’s a bit too girlie.” he frowned.
Andrew’s mother entered with a tray in hand. She set it on the coffee table and placed a glass of cordial in front of William, and another in front of Andrew. A plate bearing four chocolate digestives sat between them. “Thanks Mrs Smith” William said.
“You’re welcome William.” Andrew’s mother replied. “How are you enjoying your new school?”
“Errr….” William cautiously began. “…apart from the uniform, it’s OK I guess.”
“So long as the uniform keeps you inside the school gates, where you belong… it’s doing it’s job don’t you think?” Andrew’s mother replied.
“Yeah I guess.” William humbly replied.
Andrew’s mother left them alone. William cast his eyes around the uninspiring parlour and asked Andrew what his ‘new’ bedroom is like. “Horrid.” Andrew frowned. “..and it’s my sister’s room, not mine.”
“Can I see it?”
“I’d rather not.” Andrew hesitantly replied.
“It can’t be as bad as you described.” William claimed. Andrew assured him it was, and to prove it, he took his friend up to his new room. “Blimey!” William gasped. “Your sister’s what… twenty?” he asked. Andrew nodded. “This is like a little girl’s room.” William exclaimed.
“It hasn’t been decorated since she was about seven.” Andrew stated. “No wonder she moved out as soon as she left school.” he added.
“You’ve got loads of shoes.” William noted, seeing about twelve pairs all lined up by the skirting board.
“My sister has, or had.” Andrew replied. “Why mum didn’t get rid as she grew out of them I’ll never know.” he said. “Same with all her old clothes.” he added, opening the wardrobe to reveal a resplendent display of skirts, frocks and blouses.
“Blimey Andrew… how do you cope?”
Andrew sighed and said “By staying indoors. It’s only for another week I hope.”
“Yeah I guess.” William replied. He tore his eyes from the clothes in the wardrobe and looked Andrew up and down again. “I guess looking at half of those… that one’s not so bad after all.” he said. “I like the colour.”
Andrew looked down at his frock and screwed his nose up. “I’d rather listen to Deep Purple than wear it.” he dryly retorted.
William chuckled and cast his eyes around the ultra-girlie bedroom. Framed pictures of cute bears and Edwardian ladies hung from the walls. Posters of David Cassidy, David Essex and David Bowie are blu-tacked above the bed. The shelves are filled with Sindy dolls, teddy bears, books, games and various toys… all of which once belonged to is sister. William rummaged through a pile of comics; Bunty, Jinty, Mandy and Twinkle. “Do you read these?” he asked.
“No!” William spat. “They’re my sisters.” his stated. “Shall we go back down?” he said as William sat on the bed and picked up a floppy rag doll that lay on his pillow. “I hate it in here.”
“Yeah I guess.” William said as he put the rag doll back where it belonged. He tried to imagine what it must be like; going to sleep and waking up in such girlie surroundings, day in, day out. They returned to the parlour and listened to the radio for a while. Suzi Quatro’s Devil Gate Drive was played which reminded them of Thursday’s dance class. Both agreed that it would have been better if they’d danced to pop music for the whole class rather than just at the end. “Did you have to practice the ballet positions last night?” William asked. Andrew nodded and moaned about having to wear the pink tights and burgundy leotard whilst he did it. “Yeah so did I.” William replied.