I made a new friend in the summer of 1970. My new friend was12 year old Ethan
who with his mother, Emily, arrived in our small town. Citizens of South Africa,
the two made the long journey to attend a teacher's summit in the neighboring
city. They were to reside with my grandmother in her rather large old house for
5 weeks. We both took an immediate liking to each other. Before their first week
had passed, my new best friend Ethan and I
had convinced our moms and my grandmom to let me stay there too.
I was having the greatest summer of my life introducing Ethan to my
baseball team, Sunday school class, and our American way of life.
My summer got more complicated the day Ethan attended the conference with his
mother. His blue school blazer with fancy crest and blue and gold striped school
tie looked sharp.
The tan shorts were dressier than my play shorts, but somewhat shorter, hitting well
above mid-thigh. I was to learn later that khaki shorts were commonly worn
at South African shorts. The black polished shoes were not that different from
my dress shoes, but his ribbed, long socks pulled high--just below mid-knee, looked
most odd. Dressing up in short pants was rare enough by the 1970s for a boy my
age, but boys, except for very little boys, just didn't wear kneesocks any more.
Not wishing to make Ethan feel uncomfortable, I reluctantly followed the lead
of my awestruck grandma and complimented his "smart" outfit. I hasten to add if
Ethan and I hadn't become fast friends, my tolerance for his outfit would
have been sorely tested. My good manners were soon
"rewarded" Sunday morning when grandma presented me my almost out-grown,
re-worked gray suit. The jacket now bore a crest; but more troubling was
the trousers I had outgrown were now short pants.
Unable to protest for fear of hurting Ethan's feelings, I wore the short
pants suit, along with the navy blue knee socks to church,various dinners, and
even to my 13th birthday party. No one gave me any grief because of my
similarly clad visitor, but I did receive quite a few stares as well as
numerous compliments from the ladies at church.
I was sad to see Ethan go, but glad to be out of those clothes. Grandma
tried convincing me to dress like Ethan well after his departure, citing my
scout and soccer uniforms comprised short pants and knee socks, but I politely
and steadfastly declined.
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