Jun. 15, 2007 - 23:33 MDT

NIXING THE KNICKERS

I fought wearing those damn knickers and the long stockings that went with them. The knickers wouldn't stay down and the sloppy socks wouldn't stay up. I remember seeing photos taken of me in the group then and those awful knickers looked terrible. Dad was always saying I looked a mess when we were going out.

I remember the point of my revolt, which I think was handled rather well. I had a new "suit" to wear, starched shirt, necktie, vest, suit coat - - - - and those damnable knickers.

Trying to keep the whine out of my voice I said to Dad something on the order of this, "Dad, you all have me dressed up as a man from the waist up, and I'm still trying to keep my knickers and sox together - - - when do I graduate ?"

Now all my schoolmate friends had gone into long pants ages ago (according to the way I felt) and I fretted.

Must have made my point as the next payday Mom took me to get my first long pants. I felt like a swell then.

Along about that time someone manufactured dungarees with an elastic waistband and I agitated to get a pair of them to wear to school. I didn't know what I was wishing for it turns out. My first day in school wearing them, walking down the hall with friends, on each side of me. The opportune moment came when there was a bunch of girls coming our way. Suddenly a guy on each side of me grapped my dungarees at the hips and yanked them clear down to the floor. I as so embarrassed and red in the face at that moment, and it got worse because girl and boy classmates teased me to death. They stayed in the closet never to be worn again. Caught some flack from Mom and Dad about that in spite of my explanation of why I would not wear them.

Well, live a little, learn a little - - - made me a bit more careful of what kind of long pants I went for. But it was such a grand feeling NIXING THE KNICKERS . . . . . . . . . .

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