***
My name in Shawn and I am from a town in Northern New York called
Lockport. My French-born Grandmother took me along when she visited
her family in France during 1963. Here are my experiences on the
crossing to France.
I spent the rest of that year in Europe with my Grandmother. Unlike
my mother, she
insisted on short pants suits which all the boys my age wore. She was French
and the suit and shorts she brought for me had really short pants.
In 1963, when I was 11, almost 12, my Grandmother made arrangements with my
parents to take me to Europe after the school year. Grandma was French
and her own Mother came from Greece. She lived in Germany throughout the
War and she had been in the States for about 5 years. My Grandfather who
was German died during an Allied air attack during World War II. He was a
wealthy land owner and a German Officer who transferred much of his money
to Switzerland prior to the War. (Guess he figured on failure from the
start.) At any rate, he left my Grandmother with a substantial amount of
money.
We departed in late August abroad a French cruise ship named the
Emperor. Airplanes had not become as common as they are now. We
departed in the early AM bound for France. The ship was quite
large and I noticed there were lots of kids on board. They were mostly
a lot younger than myself and today I figure it was probably because most
schools were about to start in both America and France. I had received
special permission to skip the first 2 months of school because of the
trip.
It was still summer and my mother packed most of the clothes that I had, which included shirts, shorts, socks, pants, and shoes. I remember it was hot out and I was wearing my only suit, which was a regular American boys dark gray suit. Once we departed and settled in, my Grandmother, whose own Children were all grown seamed totally concerned with my clothing. She helped me unpack and immediately went to the plaid shorts and suggested I get into them. I did so and we proceeded to walk around the ship, fascinated by the size and ambiance of it all. Since Grandma was French and the ship had a French crew, she spoke to them in her native language at every opportunity. Since moving to the States about 5 years prior, and living in Germany for much of her adult life, she didn't have the opportunity to speak in her native tongue very often. Additionally, her own mother was from Greece though she didn't speak that language very well.
About 10:00 AM, we went back to our room so Grandma could have a nap.
Shortly thereafter, a Porter came by and stated in English that dinner was
at 8:00 and we were to decide on the Dining Room. After quickly looking
over the literature he brought, She conversed with him in French for a
while. Grandma told me that we were to dine in the main dining hall and we
were to dress formally. I asked her if it meant that I had to wear my suit
and she quicly responded, with out a great deal of thought 'Yes.' She
then stated that she was going to buy me a
new suit. Sacrificing her nap, we were off to the tailor shop. I remember
my Mother telling her before we left that I wore a boys size 10 everything,
but she didn't know the European size equivalent. The tailor took my
measurements while she and my Grandmother spoke
again in French. I didn't understand a thing they said. After leaving,
Grandma told me that she had ordered a light blue suit which they had in
stock. Some alterations would be necessary and it would be ready by the
shops closing time which was 5:00. After her nap and then lunch I went by
myself to the game room and played ball and some other games with some
other kids (mostly 6 and 7 year olds). At 4:00, Grandma said we
better go check on my new suit. She said we must stop by the shoe store
and she would buy me some new shoes and socks. She sort of picked them out
for me asking the shoe man if they had any light blue socks. They did, and
out I walked with brand new shiny black shoes and blue socks, still
dressed in my plaid shorts.
We went to the Tailor Shop and the man who took the measurements told
me to go behind a parician and change. My Grandmother, now speaking to
him in English told the man to put me in a white shirt and matching tie.
He had a lot of ties and picked one out that pretty much matched the suit.
Sitting for a minute on a small bench behind the patician only in my
shoes, socks and underpants, the tailor came around the corner with my
pants.
I immediately shot up from the bench noticing that they were short
pants. I protested to my Grandmother and stated "I'm not going to wear
short pants with a suit, I'm almost 12 years old". She immediately came
around the corner and acting very surprised she said that all the boys in
Europe wore shorts with their good clothes, adding that I would look very
nice in them. I did in fact like wearing shorts but never though about
wearing them with a suit. The only other kids that dressed like that in
America, at least in my neighborhood, were
5 and 6 year olds at best! I also remembered that most of the other
young kids on the ship were wearing long pants. Also, the last time I
wore a suit with short pants was when I was about 4. I repeated my
objections, butshe scowled back "Put them on". The taylor then helped
me dress and I reluctantly stepped into them. I put on
shirt which was a white, long sleeved shirt which I slowly buttoned
while looking
down at my legs, thinking about how much shorter they were (about half way
between my waist and knees) than my casual shorts which were knee length.
He gave me a brand new belt which I put on. The tailor then handed me the
tie which he helped with. (I wasn�t real good at tying ties yet.) Then he
held the jacket and I slipped my arms into it. My Grandmother commented
on how nice I looked. While she paid the man, I was staring in the full
length mirror at myself. A light blue suit with short pants, ankle length
socks and black shiny shoes. I kind of liked the look but thoughy about
the embarrassment by being seen in it. As the Taylor then put my other
clothes in a bag, I then realized that I now had to be seen in public
dressed like that. My Grandmother told me to come along and I followed
slowly behind her to our room (a pretty good walk). About half way there
she stopped and turned around. Looking me over, she bent down and folded
my new blue socks over. Proceeding to the room we passed some other kids.
I noticed one particular boy, about 6 or 7 years old, dressed in a gray
short pants suit, but he was also wearing knee length socks. I then
remember thinking that knee socks might help. My Grandmother was
commenting on how nice I looked when I asked her if I could at least have
some of those high socks like the that kids were
wearing. She hesitated a moment and said she would think about it.
Staying in my new suit until about 8:00, we went to the Dining Room.
I was very nervous about being seen in my 'Little boy outfit'. The
entrance to the dining hall was higher than the actual dining room room
and I sort of felt on display as we waited for the Head Waiter. I looked
around and though several people looked at me, It was not in any abnormal
way. I now realized that I was not a spectacle and calmed down-- a litle
bit. I
felt much better when I saw some of the other kids dressed in short pants
suits at other tables. They were mostly younger than me, but at least
I didn't feel so out of place. I figured that they were foreigners since
most American boys dressed in long pants suits. I further remember
feeling embarrassed because some of the younger boys who were wearing long
pants suits were staring at me. Most of the boys in the short pants suits
were wearing knee socks, and the boys with short socks like mine looked to
be pretty young, maybe 4 or 5. As we were seated, I noticed one
particular boy (about 8 or 9) walking to the rest room. What caught my
eye especially is that his dark suit had pants that were so short, his
suit jacket hid them completely. He was also wearing short white socks.
I felt a little better by seeing him because he was closer to my age.
When I sat down at the table, I could feel my shorts ride up almost to my
thighs, with Grandma repeating how very nice I looked in my new suit.
While eating dinner, she said that Europe would be colder than New York
and I would need a new coat. The one I had with me would not be
appropriate with my suit. I then asked her if it was necessary to wear
shorts with a coat, and maybe I should be wearing long pants if it was
cold out. She then said that for as long as I was with her I was to be
wearing only short pants, stating that my legs looked very nice and boys
should not be wearing long pants. I reminded her that I was almost 12 and
she said that "You are still a boy ... and my boys only wear short pants."
The next morning I dressed in a pair of blue shorts, sneakers with
white socks and a short sleeved button down shirt. Grandma told me that
after breakfast she was going to buy me some more clothes. I knew exactly
what she meant, after what she said the night before, it meant 'more short
pants. I wasn�t really bothered because after that episode with the new
suit, and the fact that I always wore shorts in the summer anyway, I was
really looking foreword to some new things.
We went to a couple of shops
and since we were on a ship, all the shops were quite small and didn�t
have much in the way of boys clothes. But one particular shop Grandma led
me into was just clothes for little kids. I really though at that moment
that she actually wanted me to fit in some of those toddler clothes! I
was releived when she reminded me that her 7 year old nephew was in France,
and he would be going to Greece and Germany with us. She wanted to get
him something. She picked out a little shortall outfit. (I guarantee that even though I never met the kid, he would
never wear them.)
Grandmother then pointed at me speaking in French to
the lady clerk. I was relieved to see her shake her head no. I then
asked Grandma if she actually wanted a pair for me. She said. "No, I
was just asking the women if she had any clothes in your size." As we
were about to leave the store the clerk called to my Grandma something in
French. Grandma then told me to wait a minute because she might have a
couple of items for older boys in the back. We waited a couple minutes
and the lady came from the back and held up a pair of black shorts to my
waist. They were much shorter than the pants I was wearing, but knowing
what I had to wear with my suit, it didn't much matter. She also had a
partician and motioned me to try them on.
After putting on my new
shorts, the lady came around the corner with something in
her hands. They were suspenders! I motioned her a good "No,"� but then
Grandma came around the corner and insisted that the lady put the
suspenders on. They were obviously suspenders that came with the short
pants since they matched and buttoned to the waistline. She attached them
to the front and swung them over my shoulders to button the rear. After
doing so both women knodded and smiled. I was really embarrassed now,
realizing that I would have to be seen in public. They were also pretty
short. To add to my humiliation of wearing little boy suspender short
pants, was that my Grandma told the lady to unbutton the back and cross
the straps. This caused the shorts to ride even higher than my suit
shorts. Grandma explained that crossing the straps wold keep them from
slipping off my shoulder when I played.
Since they were my size, and obviously if they made those kind of
clothes that would fit me, I figured that other boys my age would probably
be wearing them in Europe. I accepted my situation and we left the store.
We then went across the deck to the shoe store. There, Grandma had me try
on and bought me some blue sandals. The leather ones that I had seen the
other (European boys) wearing. When we went back to the room my Grandmother said she would get me some more clothes when we reached France. I could just imagine what she had in mind.
Grandmother then said that I should go out and play but before I do "Take off your socks." I replied "What for, I always wear socks." She said that I would probably get them dirty and it was a long cruise. She reiterated "Do not argue with me." I reluctantly removed my socks and put my sandals back on. I really felt like a little kid now. Suspendered short pants and sandals. What would the other kids say or think. She then held up my long-sleeved turtleneck shirt and said that I had better put this on.
It was a little cool out so I didn't argue with her, thinking that they would hide the suspenders and it wouldnt be too bad. But I quickly realized what she had in mind when she unbuttoned my rear suspenders,
allowing them to hang over the front. I changed the shirt and she rebuttoned them. Grandma stood back and commented on how smart I looked. She then instructed me to go out and play for a while, she wanted to take a nap. As I left the room I noticed that it was a little cool out but why would she insist on a long sleeved shirt, short pants (suspenders and all), sandals and no socks. At that minute it dawned on me that she was deliberately trying to dress me up like a little boy. Maybe trying to relive her own experiences as a young mother with a new little boy to show off.
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