Coyly, I thanked her and said she looks nice too. I turned to Benjimin and Antony who also wore make-up and in spite of their short hair, also looked very girlie in their white knee length dresses. Antony complimented my dress. “Thanks.” I said. Benjimin remained sheepish and shy. “You OK Benjimin?”
“Yeah I guess… just looking forward to getting today over with.”
“Me too.”
“Listen to them.” my mother said to his. “It’s almost as if they’re completely elusive to how honoured they are.”
“I know.” Mrs Proctor replied. “But they are only boys after all.”
“True.” Mother agreed. “I’d have thought you’d have been used to wearing dresses by now Benjimin?”
“I am… I just don’t like wearing them in public.”
“You’ll get used to that.” his mother told him. “Antony ’s not so bothered are you?”
Her youngest son looked up at her with puppy dog eyes and said, “No Mummy.”
“Could I get a photo of all of you?” my mother asked, wielding her camera once more.
“Oh Mu-um.” I moaned.
“I can’t let a day like today pass without documenting it.” Mother replied.
Mother assembled the four of us in a group and took a couple of snaps. Brown Owl appeared behind her and said “Big Brownie smiles girls!” in a chirpy tone of voice. Paula’s mother was also present. “Don’t they all look delightful?” Brown Owl asked her.
Her mother looked at us a frowned. “Well… as you know, I’ve been against letting boys be involved right from the start.” she replied. She looked at us again and her stern expression softened a little. “But seeing them now, I must admit, they do look rather sweet.” she admitted. “Especially you Benjimin.” she added.
Mother put her camera away and began chatting with the other adults. One by one, the rest arrived, each wearing the same white knee length frocks and plenty of make-up. I got the feeling that being girls, they were clearly far more comfortable with the whole looking pretty thing than myself or the Proctor boys, but they were also clearly nervous too.
Brown Owl handed out various last minute tasks to our mothers before making sure I and my seven sisters knew exactly what we should be doing throughout the procession. “Right girls!” Brown Owl led us outside to the float and directed us where, and how to sit. The seating was fashioned from bails of hay covered in a canvas tarpaulin and I, being the centre of attention have to sit on the middle bail with my seven sisters around me. “Remember your big Brownie smiles girls, and make sure you’re all looking at the crowd, not each other.” she explained. “Vincent… you need to grab the attention of both sides of the route… so wave with your left hand to the right hand side, and with your right hand to the left… very good.”
I felt like such a ninny as I sat on the stationary float, smiling and waving to a non-existent crowd. I guess the others did too. Brown Owl told us how we should get off the float when we reach the village green where I’ll be crowned. I’m the last to alight and am to be helped down by my sisters in a graceful rather than clumsy manner, taking care not to trip over my long dress. We rehearse this several times before Brown Owl is happy. “Very good girls! Have you got your speech Vincent?” she asked. I nodded, showed it to her and assured her that I’d been rehearsing it. “Good boy.” she said. Sometimes I wish she’d make her mind up… one minute we’re ‘girls’ and the next, I’m a boy. I must admit though, I certainly feel more like a girl than a boy today.
