Friday, September 23, 2011

begging for mercy

It never fails... We have a full afternoon to evening slate of cross-country practice / piano lessons / computer work in the office / middle school back-to-school night, and what does my sophomore announce at 4 pm?

He needs a costume for history class the next day.* Specifically, he needs to dress up as Mercy Lewis, one of the Salem witch trial accusers, and can he borrow a black shirt and skirt from me?

Keep in mind that he is now pushing 6 feet, and built like a running back. Something from my closet was not an option, though I did appreciate the thought that I dress like a puritan.

Luckily, my mom bequeathed a black faux fur cape to us a few months ago (along with my wedding dress, my grandmother's old furs, a coat I last wore in college, and various other garments I had stowed in their attic about 20 years ago). When I called to question why on earth I would ever need an opera cape—after all, where do I go?—she was quick to point out that I had entirely missed the point. Think Halloween, she said.

Not two days later, Secondo came home in a panic, needing an Edgar Allan Poe costume for class the next day.** He was thrilled when I pulled out the cape, and apparently used it to great effect in a dramatic exit.

I called my mom and added it to the list of Things For Which I Owe Her Greatly. It's a very long list.

So back to good old Mercy Lewis... Ten minutes, a few table linens, a white apron I forgot I owned, said black cape and a plethora of safety pins: voila!



He let me take this picture on the condition that I not post it on Facebook. I made no promises about this blog.


* Not a case of teenage procrastination. She gave them the assignment that afternoon.

** Entirely possible that it was a case of pre-teen procrastination.

4 comments:

  1. Oh how funny! I thought he was in Math/Science school, not drama acadmey. I won't tell him I saw it.
    -val

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  2. I so want to post that on FB for you. But I shall resist!

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  3. that is the best capes are always of use never refuse one

    miss you.
    margo

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  4. And I thought it was only my kids who needed costumes quickly. Andrew informed me one morning just before the bus arrived that he needed an elf costume..... that day. Thank goodness we still had Chris' elf costume from a couple of years earlier.

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