DO YOU HAVE ANY SOCKS LIKE THESE?

When I grew up we were poor.

I became shy and demure.

We seldom went anywhere.

We had no money to spare.

One day when in my mid teens,

(Before the days of blue jeans.)

My mom, older sister and I

Went to a big town near by.

Well, really forty miles or so

Which, for us seemed a long way to go.

It was during the second World War.

At the Airbase were soldiers galore.

We were in a variety store

When a soldier boy came through the door.

He came right on up close to me,

Pulled his pant leg up t’ward his knee

And asked, polite as you please,

“Do you have any socks like these?”

I didn’t know quite what to say

As I shyly said “no” - slinked away.

He immediately knew I was not

A store clerk whose help he had sought.

The soldier boy was amused, too.

A clerk soon came to our rescue

She kindly said, ”May I help you?”

But there was nothing that she could do,

There were no khaki socks she could shew.

Meanwhile-

My mother and sis tried in vain

Their giggles and smiles to restrain.

I feel the embarrassment yet.

My sis never let me forget.

She would say, in the air of a tease,

Do you have any socks like these?

-- Floy Ruggles