"Ordinary" was the worst word my mother could find for anything.
``
Ordinary
''
was
the
worst
word
my
mother
could
find
for
anything
.
Whenever she took me out for shopping, I found she wouldn't take any notice of the shop assistants when they suggested that some dresses were popular.
Whenever
she
took
me
out
for
shopping
,
I
found
she
would
n't
take
any
notice
of
the
shop
assistants
when
they
suggested
that
some
dresses
were
popular
.
She would say, "We're not interested in that.
She
would
say
,
``
We
're
not
interested
in
that
.
Haven't you got anything a little unusual?"
Have
n't
you
got
anything
a
little
unusual
?
''
And then the assistants would bring out all the strange colours no one else would buy.
And
then
the
assistants
would
bring
out
all
the
strange
colours
no
one
else
would
buy
.
And later she and I would argue because I wanted to be ordinary but my mother wanted to be unusual.
And
later
she
and
I
would
argue
because
I
wanted
to
be
ordinary
but
my
mother
wanted
to
be
unusual
.
"I can't stand that hairdo," she said to me when I was in a boy hairstyle, "It's so terribly ordinary...Not ugly, not unsuitable.
``
I
ca
n't
stand
that
hairdo
,
''
she
said
to
me
when
I
was
in
a
boy
hairstyle
,
``
It
's
so
terribly
ordinary
...
Not
ugly
,
not
unsuitable
.
But ordinary ..."
But
ordinary
...
''
"Couldn't you please wear something else?"
``
Could
n't
you
please
wear
something
else
?
''
I asked one day when she was dressing for Parents' Day in tight trousers and a bright pink sweater.
I
asked
one
day
when
she
was
dressing
for
Parents
'
Day
in
tight
trousers
and
a
bright
pink
sweater
.
"What't wrong with it!"
``
What't
wrong
with
it
!
''
"It's just that I wish you'd wear something ordinary."
``
It
's
just
that
I
wish
you
'd
wear
something
ordinary
.
''
I said, "People won't laugh at."
I
said
,
``
People
wo
n't
laugh
at
.
''
She looked at me angrily, "Are you ashamed of your mother?
She
looked
at
me
angrily
,
``
Are
you
ashamed
of
your
mother
?
If you are, Mary, I feel sorry for you."
If
you
are
,
Mary
,
I
feel
sorry
for
you
.
''
"Ordinary" was the worst word my mother could find for anything. Whenever she took me out for shopping, I found she wouldn't take any notice of the shop assistants when they suggested that some dresses were popular. She would say, "We're not interested in that. Haven't you got anything a little unusual?" And then the assistants would bring out all the strange colours no one else would buy. And later she and I would argue because I wanted to be ordinary but my mother wanted to be unusual.  "I can't stand that hairdo," she said to me when I was in a boy hairstyle, "It's so terribly ordinary...Not ugly, not unsuitable. But ordinary ..."  "Couldn't you please wear something else?" I asked one day when she was dressing for Parents' Day in tight trousers and a bright pink sweater.  "What't wrong with it!"  "It's just that I wish you'd wear something ordinary." I said, "People won't laugh at."  She looked at me angrily, "Are you ashamed of your mother? If you are, Mary, I feel sorry for you."