Chapter III
Assessing the Wardrobe
"For crying out loud, Mother, where do you find the shorts you pick out for me? Shorts have a style, you know. I want new ones with pegged legs and cuffs. I don't want Lana Turner, World War II, pleated shorts with four buttons on the front like sailors' front flaps. Did you buy me tap shoes to go with them?"
Mother gives Paula a disgusted look and replies, "No, Miss Smarty Pants. The shorts belonged to the neighbor across the alley. Some of her other clothes fit you and she thought they'd look nice on you."
Wise, Mother. Just because they look nice on me doesn't mean I should wear them. Why do you think she is weeding them out of her closet? It isn't because she's outgrown them now, is it? They are out of style. When I was in eighth grade you thought I looked nice in your remodeled plush coat that Betty Davis might have worn. You just can't go on embarrassing me like this. I don't want to stand out. I want to fit in. Do you think you might just try to understand that?"
Mother finally gives in. She takes thirty dollars out of an empty cigarette pack in the back of the Marlboro carton. "This is all I can spare right now. Make a list of what you need. Make it go as far as you can. You'll have to buy any extras you want out of your earnings. As far as this session goes, I've had enough. I'm going to put some Eight O'clock coffee on the hotplate. Where is the percolator?"
"It's in the clothes basket with the cake and pie pans." Paula points to a stack of blankets on top of the basket that hides its contents.
Mother says under her breath, "I'm going to listen to the radio. It's time for 'Ma Perkins' … then take a nap."
"Thanks, for the cash, Mother. I'll call Millie to see if she can go shopping with me."
* * *
Paula goes to George's bedroom that used to be hers. She opens the window about a foot and a half. Millie's bedroom light is on. She's probably pin-curling her hair for tomorrow. George will be home soon, so I'll have to hurry. She told Mrs. Martin she has to use the bathroom. Since there is only one bathroom it has to be shared by the two families.
Millie comes to the window after Paula hits it with a tossed penny.
"You'd better stop throwing pennies on the bay window roof. If my little brother sees them, he won't be able to resist trying to get them. What's going on?"
"Can you come over? I need your help. I go to Buckeye Lake this weekend and I need to buy some clothes," Paula begs.
"Yes, but I can't stay too long. I have more homework to do." She puts her comb and brush in her dresser drawer and grabs a jacket.
"OK. Meet you downstairs." Paula says as she quickly closes the window, runs to the bathroom to flush the toilet so as to back up her story of having to use the bathroom. She nearly falls down the steps to let Millie in. They proceed to the new basement apartment, if you could call it that.
"Mother calls it 'cozy. I'm not allowed to say what I think it is … welcome to our new digs. To the left, see the blanket strung on strong clothes lines. Move the curtains and the washing machine and rinse tubs are handy. You'd think we are kids making a playhouse. I'm sorry we have to be down here," Paula apologizes. She pushes Millie down on the davenport. "Here's a tablet and pencil."
Millie struggles to sit up. "Whoa! Am I promoted to secretary? I haven't finished my shorthand class yet. Don't worry about your new digs. It's for what? Two months, Paula?"
"Yes, you are the secretary. Here's what's happening. Mother gave me $30.00 for my emergency summer wardrobe. Help me out, will you? You've got a way about getting down to business." Paula starts to dictate as Millie makes columns on the paper.
"OK!" Millie agrees. "Let's start with the train case."
Paula slaps her head with the heel of her hand. "Oh, magosh! I never even thought of the train case, the most basic and important item young girls have for overnights. See how flustered I am?"
Millie starts right in making a list . . . "a card of bobby pins, Breck shampoo, a bottle of Teel toothpaste, Kotex, a new sanitary belt. You are not spending more than $5.00 on that stuff, no matter what. That leaves $25.00. Where do we go from there?"
"Night, day, work, play, socks . . ." Paula's voice fades while she busies herself making a calendar in squares for a specific 'do-it' list.
Millie quickly adds, "Let's get your church clothes out of the way first. You ARE going to church this summer, aren't you?"
Paula cocks her head to the side, "Of course. Looks at Millie with a squint and says, "You really know how to reduce my clothes money. … I have that full skirt I made in Home Ec class. - The one with the huge flowers on it. I'll wear that with my white nylon blouse. My garter belt is OK. I can use a new brassiere and one pair of stockings. I have a slip. That's enough for church. I need pajamas. I'll do with one new pair. Forget slippers."
As Millie writes, she says, "Gotcha! Brassiere, stockings, and pj's … That brings us down to $21.00, more or less. I guess I can erase your flowered skirt off my list for borrowing."
"Sorry." Paula continues. "I want three pair of pegged, cuffed shorts - red, maybe blue, and gray ones with three buddy blouses to go with them."
"Boy, oh boy. We should have started with the new look first," Millie notes.
"It's going to be for work AND play, Millie. That leaves about $4.00 for socks and underpants. Want to meet me at Lazarus after school tomorrow?" Paula asks.
After checking her assignment book in the back pocket of her dungarees Millie says, "I can meet you, but I have to be home by 6:00 for my piano lesson."
"Tell you what. We'll start at Lazarus for the blouses, shorts and a Maiden form bra. 'I dreamed I went shopping in my Maiden form bra.'" The girls both laughed. "Then we'll go to Woolworths five and dime for the rest. We'll save time and money that way. Of course, that's assuming we don't run into anybody we know who wants to play records in Lazarus' record shop. I'm counting on you to keep us on track, OK," Paula urges.