New Covering

    One of the things I admired the most after moving to Somerset County was the coverings the girls wore. The fabric was a shiny black satin and the strings to tie them were wide black satin ribbon which, when tied, produced lovely big bows under their chins.
     I looked forward to the day when I could trade in my dull, thin covering for one of these new ones.
     After Mom found out that Emmy was giving me a hard time at school because of the covering I was wearing, she took time out of her busy schedule to make a new one for me according to the rules of the churches in Somerset.
     One day John and I got home from school to our regular after school snacks waiting on the kitchen table. I starting eating mine, but when Mom told me she has a new covering waiting for me to try on as soon as I'm done, my hunger vanished. I handed my snacks to John, who happily munched them down, and ran to try on this beautiful new creation.
      Mom placed the covering on my head and tied the ribbons. It felt weird. For starters it was much heavier than the one I had been used to, but even worse it was noisy. Coverings weren't supposed to make noise, but this one did. A weird rattling, rustling, squeaky type of noise. Every move of my head caused it to make a sound. Talking, chewing food, any little movement and I could hear it.
     "How do you like it?" Mom asked.
     How could I tell her it was awful? She had taken the time to make it, and I had so desperately wanted one just like the others girls.
      "It rattles," I said.
       She looked puzzled and then lifted it up to her ears. "You can hear it," she chuckled. "I think you'll get used to it soon."
       I wasn't convinced about that as I wore it to go to school the next day. It rattled, and rustled, and squeaked all day long. By the time the school day was over I was ready to throw it away. Not wearing anything wouldn't be as terrible as having to listen to it for the rest of my life.
      I don't remember how long it took, but Mom was right. I got used to it, and the sounds it made no longer registered and I was able to enjoy life again.