breath and picked up my own cup. I have learned that giving into panic is a sure way to expose your weaknesses. Better to compose yourself and consider the situation carefully to see where things might be going. She now looked mortified.
“Oh no! No! Please; I didn’t ask you to take advantage of you. And you shouldn’t give me the scarf just because you want to get rid of me. I am so sorry I bothered you…”
She moved as if to stand up again and I held a placatory hand over hers, but didn’t quite touch her.
“No it’s fine, please…”
As she settled back in her chair I took the scarf off and handed it to her. She didn’t reach for it at first and there was a vulnerable look in her eyes. She looked like part of her wanted to turn me down out of courtesy, but the other part just had to have that scarf.
“Take the scarf!”
I almost sounded like I was giving her an order, but at the same time, I had humour in my voice and a smile on my face.
She took it and her jaw dropped a little as she felt the thick, soft silk between her hands; her eyes now filled with wonder.
“But it’s magnificent. One of the most beautiful things I have seen in my life and its touch is like heaven.”
“It will look good on you. Not with what you’re wearing now, but if you have something with a tighter cut, it will make you look stunning.”
I must have sounded like a saleswoman in a department store. When I saw the hurt look in her eyes, I realised that my remark about her style of clothes had hit a nerve; as if she knew herself she was wearing the wrong clothes.
“Sorry, my big mouth; I didn’t mean to offend you. I have a lot on my plate at the moment and I’m a bit tired.”
“Oh don’t worry; I’d love to change my whole wardrobe. I live with my ex and he scrounges off me, leaves me with all the bills. You have a problem with a guy as well? Sorry. Now I got too personal.”
“No, actually I just got rid of my problem. I’m single.”
I saw myself stretching my arm out to shake hands and was flabbergasted by it. Why was I doing this? It was like I was reacting spontaneously without my brain’s permission; I was actually acting on impulse.
“My name is Marie,” I said.
“Oh I’m Lotte; lovely to meet you. And are you really sure about the scarf?”
“Absolutely! You must have it. I’m sure I would have added it to the pile the next time I cleared my wardrobe. I’d have given it away to a charity shop.
“Well I’d love to know what else would be in that pile!” she said with a grin. “You look stunning and I’m sure we’re about the same size… Oh sorry! Here I am being too pushy again; I really don’t know what’s come over me. But thank you so much for the scarf. I don’t know if I have anything like you suggested I should wear with it though. I haven’t bought any new clothes for about a year because of The Ruminant!”
I must have looked puzzled and she burst out laughing.
“Oh I’m sorry. It’s my nickname for my ex. He has this way of chewing food that makes him look like a camel or a cow.”
“Well I once had a boyfriend who looked like a sheep giving birth when he came - totally blank.”
We both burst out laughing now and the rest of my afternoon was suddenly filled with Lotte and me comparing the idiotic people who had been in our lives.
***
The next morning Lotte wandered into the kitchen to get a coffee and there was a text message from Marie on her phone:
‘Wear black today and put on the scarf – that’s an order! Sincerely, your new stylist’
Lotte grinned as she felt that inner warmth you get when you make a new friend; especially one who makes you laugh so much.
Dressing as instructed, she threw her bag over her shoulder and wrapped her coat around her. It was a cold winter’s day even though there wasn’t a lot of snow. Lotte thought that in a country where the weather is the main topic of conversation people even end up talking to themselves about it.
“Oh no! No! Please; I didn’t ask you to take advantage of you. And you shouldn’t give me the scarf just because you want to get rid of me. I am so sorry I bothered you…”
She moved as if to stand up again and I held a placatory hand over hers, but didn’t quite touch her.
“No it’s fine, please…”
As she settled back in her chair I took the scarf off and handed it to her. She didn’t reach for it at first and there was a vulnerable look in her eyes. She looked like part of her wanted to turn me down out of courtesy, but the other part just had to have that scarf.
“Take the scarf!”
I almost sounded like I was giving her an order, but at the same time, I had humour in my voice and a smile on my face.
She took it and her jaw dropped a little as she felt the thick, soft silk between her hands; her eyes now filled with wonder.
“But it’s magnificent. One of the most beautiful things I have seen in my life and its touch is like heaven.”
“It will look good on you. Not with what you’re wearing now, but if you have something with a tighter cut, it will make you look stunning.”
I must have sounded like a saleswoman in a department store. When I saw the hurt look in her eyes, I realised that my remark about her style of clothes had hit a nerve; as if she knew herself she was wearing the wrong clothes.
“Sorry, my big mouth; I didn’t mean to offend you. I have a lot on my plate at the moment and I’m a bit tired.”
“Oh don’t worry; I’d love to change my whole wardrobe. I live with my ex and he scrounges off me, leaves me with all the bills. You have a problem with a guy as well? Sorry. Now I got too personal.”
“No, actually I just got rid of my problem. I’m single.”
I saw myself stretching my arm out to shake hands and was flabbergasted by it. Why was I doing this? It was like I was reacting spontaneously without my brain’s permission; I was actually acting on impulse.
“My name is Marie,” I said.
“Oh I’m Lotte; lovely to meet you. And are you really sure about the scarf?”
“Absolutely! You must have it. I’m sure I would have added it to the pile the next time I cleared my wardrobe. I’d have given it away to a charity shop.
“Well I’d love to know what else would be in that pile!” she said with a grin. “You look stunning and I’m sure we’re about the same size… Oh sorry! Here I am being too pushy again; I really don’t know what’s come over me. But thank you so much for the scarf. I don’t know if I have anything like you suggested I should wear with it though. I haven’t bought any new clothes for about a year because of The Ruminant!”
I must have looked puzzled and she burst out laughing.
“Oh I’m sorry. It’s my nickname for my ex. He has this way of chewing food that makes him look like a camel or a cow.”
“Well I once had a boyfriend who looked like a sheep giving birth when he came - totally blank.”
We both burst out laughing now and the rest of my afternoon was suddenly filled with Lotte and me comparing the idiotic people who had been in our lives.
***
The next morning Lotte wandered into the kitchen to get a coffee and there was a text message from Marie on her phone:
‘Wear black today and put on the scarf – that’s an order! Sincerely, your new stylist’
Lotte grinned as she felt that inner warmth you get when you make a new friend; especially one who makes you laugh so much.
Dressing as instructed, she threw her bag over her shoulder and wrapped her coat around her. It was a cold winter’s day even though there wasn’t a lot of snow. Lotte thought that in a country where the weather is the main topic of conversation people even end up talking to themselves about it.
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