Denim

I've always had a love hate relationship with denim not least from attempts to put me in jeans which I found a bit clammy in the late Spring and Summer where I usually prefer something that rather breathes more.

Thus I always battled for shorts, originally sports shorts from 1979/80 in the summer or for play although these days you'll seldom see me in anything other than traditional lined short trousers.

But that's forgetting there was a point between the ages of of around eight and eleven where Mum did buy me the odd demin pair which are better in that way so would something like this with even pockets be good as 'playwear' for me?

Conversations recalled

Between times when I'm a bit down after the events of earlier this year thoughts turn to conversations from the past that took one of two forms, the more formal "I'd like to talk to you about..." or the unscripted once that just break out in the moment often doing something everyday.

Sometimes they might of been when we'd of gone to the shops on our own as Dad was otherwise engaged as it were and to be quite truthful we liked those moments away from for the freedom to just do what we felt like often in the main town of the Northern Suburbs here in deepest Stoke on Trent where his mother lived and a good number of Aunts, Uncles and Cousins did having caught the bus.

On other occasions it would be when trying clothes on as in our family it was more normal for you to have your clothes picked for you so they'd be sessions when tape measure would come out, you might try on something from another to check measurements, or nan would knit me a jumper which often was in same colours as my female cousins as they tended to suit my skin tone better.

Among the memorable discussions were post Third Year options for GCE's and the battle over long trousers which just were never me which eventually I did win after a summer of sweltering in sweaty jeans.

In the end she came to realize I was this mixture of boy who could talk about grown up stuff while being at the same time the little boy she knew.

Going casual

When it comes to the more casual side of me really it is more like this, a t shirt, light games type shorts, ankle socks and trainers I go for.
To me it's cool during the warmer months with lots of room if play while outside and easy to wash too if I get a bit muddy which even if I'm not playing footy somehow just lands on you.
It's even okay for on floor play indoors to where if I had been expected to wear longs I'd of worn holes in the knees although if I'm just sitting around more I prefer more tailored shorts and short sleeve shirt.

Co-ordinated uniforms

The school term may be officially over for the new familiar six weeks school hols but this doesn't mean school terms are over for good as much as you'd like to see the end of S R Jones's humilating and often homophobic presence as science teacher.

I likened him back then to the popular brand of toothpaste which upon getting back to him only resulted in being smacked in front of the class for cheek and disrespect.

Instead as if by magic come September it all begins again.

Connected of course with all that is the ritual of going to the boys department or sub section of the men's wear that deal with more formal boys outfits for a fitting for the new school years uniform where out comes the tape measure to take chest,waist and inside leg measurements coupled with any school requirements before getting some items you go into the tiny cubical with thin curtain to try on.

That in real school life things went a bit wrong because at my school, like a good number they favoured long trousers while really it would of made more sense for me to had been put back into short trousers of the then brievity and treated a bit more like a junior to work on my attitudes and develop some sense of self discipline rather han relying totally on the notion of pleasing or not having pleased a grown up.

That's beside the fact being unco-ordinated and still playing rather a lot at breaktimes it would of been more cost effective given long seldom lasted a month without holes coming in knees.

BEING LIKE THE BOY ON THE LEFT REALLY WOULD MADE MORE SENSE.