 |
| The bagpiper at the Scottish border |
For more, go to... http://travel.iafrica.com/destin/europe/693489.html
Monday, 13 December 2010
Deep Scottish Love
For more, go to... http://travel.iafrica.com/destin/europe/693489.html
Tuesday, 7 December 2010
Retail Therapy
“I can stop shopping anytime I want. Despite what my husband says.” Picking up her latte, Sarah scanned the crowded coffee shop for the waiter. “But you have to understand. These boots… They’re just perfect. I saw them on the Nine West website this morning.”
“I don’t need to ask if you’re going to buy them or not,” Juliet replied. “Knowing you, you’ve probably phoned ahead and reserved your size, just in case they sell out before we finish work today.”
Sarah nodded. “I’ll show you online once we’re back at the office. The price isn’t too bad. And there should be credit available on Matthew’s card.” She loved having a joint account. Plus there was always the personal one her husband – or Juliet – didn’t know about. Just the thought of those gorgeous shoes left her slightly breathless.
Finally, the waiter drifted into view. Juliet, spotting him first, lifted a hand and indicated for the bill. “Sarah,” she started. Paused. “We’ve been colleagues and friends for a while now, and I want to be honest with you.”
Surprise and concern flickered across Sarah’s features. “Is there something wrong? Is it one of your children?”
“No, no nothing like that.” Another pause. “I’ve just noticed… Well, you know I’ve always admired your good dress sense. It seems that almost every day you’ve got a stylish new outfit or new handbag or new… something. And you know I love shopping just as much as the next woman, but seriously? You’ve mentioned a number of times that you and Matthew fight about how much you spend. It’s affecting your relationship.”
Sarah lifted her Ray-Bans, resting them on top of her dark brown hair. “I’m trying hard not to be offended here, but it sounds like you’re saying I have a problem. Shopping is a perfectly acceptable pastime.” She rested her folded arms on the table.
“Everything can be taken to extremes.”
“Not in my case. End of story. Now, it’s my turn to pay.” Whipping out a wad of cash, she counted the notes, leaving a generous tip. “Alright, time to head back to the office. And you’ll definitely change your mind once you see these boots. They’re what you’d call a must-have.”
Leaving her friend no space to argue, she stood up and marched off, Juliet hurrying to catch up. Their office was only a few short blocks away, but Sarah was soon lost in thought. Those boots were lovely, and worth every cent. It just couldn’t be possible that other people wouldn’t want to buy them. Juliet was definitely over-reacting.
The rest of the afternoon passed in a haze, and by the time 5pm ticked into view, Sarah was ready to leave. Driving to the shopping centre seemed to take forever, and by the time she had wrestled her 4x4 into a parking spot and headed into the mall, her heart was pounding. Finally, the Nine West store appeared in view.
As she strode through the through the open glass doors, a petite sales assistant floated into view. “May I help you?” she asked.
“Yes, thanks,” Sarah replied. “I phoned and reserved a pair of boots this morning with Annie. I’m just picking them up.”
Holding her breath, she waited for the reply. What if they had sold them to someone else? “Of course. I remember speaking to you earlier. Let me get them for you.”
Sarah breathed a small sigh of relief, closing her eyes for a second as the sales assistant turned her back. Waiting for Annie to return, she spotted a handbag resting on an elegantly lit shelf.
“Those are perfect for holding your beauty products,” the assistant purred behind her, holding the box of shoes.
“I’ll take it too. It’s gorgeous.” Who was Juliet to say that shopping was bad? Or Matthew to say she had issues? He was the one with a problem, anyway. And, of course, trying on the boots, they fit her perfectly. Everyone at the office would be so jealous.
Not even so much as glancing at the price tags, she carried both items to the till. Dizzy with excitement, she barely heard Annie murmur “That will be R3 000 please”.
Take a deep breath, she commanded herself as she handed over the card. In a few moments they’ll be yours. Her hands shook slightly as she inspected the sunglasses on the counter. Perhaps it was time to buy a new pair?
It took a few moments before she realised the sales assistant was speaking to her. “I’m sorry, there seems to be a slight problem.” She held out the credit card slip to Sarah. “Perhaps you have another available?”
“Problem? That can’t be right…” Sarah frowned at the small piece of paper. “Oh!” she stammered. Insufficient funds, the wording screamed at her. Trying to maintain her composure, she opened her purse, reaching for her own card. “This one should go through.” Why wasn’t Matthew’s account working? Thank goodness she knew this one would be successful; she had checked the balance only this morning.
Carrying the shopping bags to her car, she shoved them into the boot and drove home, deep in thought. Matthew usually worked late, but on Fridays he made an exception and left the office on time. As she pulled into the driveway, she was still not certain which direction she should take. Should she confront him? But that would mean a fight about why she was spending money on clothes again. And the possibility she could say too much. Or should she feign ignorance, and go without using his card for a while? Leaving her purchases in the car until she had decided on a course of action, she opened the door to the house, calling out a greeting.
Matthew wandered into view. “Hi Sarah.” His eyes flickered to her empty hands. A small, but noticeable, gesture. “Thought you’d be out shopping now.”
Sarah tried to grin, but felt her face form more of a grimace. Decision time. “Yes. I went to Nine West, but I didn’t find anything. There were loads of lovely things of course – you know how much I love that store. But I just don’t need anything else right now. Juliet and I had a bit of a chat about all this shopping business over lunch, actually, and…” Seeing the incredulous look on Matthew’s face, she trailed off.
“You went into Nine West but you didn’t buy anything? Pass me your keys.”
“What?” She should have known she couldn’t fool her husband. “No. It’s my car.”
“I bought it for you. Now give them to me.”
For a few seconds, the pair stared at each other before Sarah finally gave in. Digging in her bag, she pulled out her keys and almost threw them at him. Catching them, Matthew marched to her 4x4, and arrived back a few minutes later with a shopping bag dangling off either hand. “Didn’t buy anything, huh? Were you going to lie about these too? I found those boxes of shoes in the back of your cupboard this morning. Unworn. Do you know how much that cost me? Cost us?” The Nine West bags landed at Sarah’s feet. “Not only that, your lies have cost you my trust. Yes, I blocked your credit card on purpose, but you still find a way to support your habit. So I have two choices for you. One. You can keep those bags. Or two, you can keep me.
“If you choose to stay, it’s on the condition that you to go to counselling, and you check with me every single time you want to buy something. Yes, even groceries. If you want to leave now, well, that’s up to you. You can go shop all you like – with your money.”
Sarah gazed at Matthew thoughtfully, surprisingly calm. “Neither of us is perfect,” she murmured. Time to bring out the big guns.
His reply was too quick, too practised. “I love you. You know that.”
“Are you sure about that? You’re giving me an ultimatum, but the only reason why you’ve let me shop for so long is because of Megan.” His face froze. A brief, sardonic smile flittered across her face. “I found her letters while I was searching through your bank statements one day. They’re looking good. The statements, I mean. You’re a good source of income. But you’ve never given me a necklace from Thomas Sabo before.” Placing one perfectly manicured hand on her hip, Sarah assessed her husband. “I’ve known about her for a while, you know. But I guess we’ve both been keeping secrets. I wanted you around just for your money; you let me spend it to make yourself feel better.”
“I honestly didn’t think you knew about Megs.” Matthew’s face had turned the colour of baby powder.
“Of course you didn’t. Otherwise I guess you wouldn’t have said anything about my spending habits. So. You wanted an answer.” Sarah picked up the bags. “I’ll keep these. I’m sure there’s another rich fool out there.”
“I don’t need to ask if you’re going to buy them or not,” Juliet replied. “Knowing you, you’ve probably phoned ahead and reserved your size, just in case they sell out before we finish work today.”
Sarah nodded. “I’ll show you online once we’re back at the office. The price isn’t too bad. And there should be credit available on Matthew’s card.” She loved having a joint account. Plus there was always the personal one her husband – or Juliet – didn’t know about. Just the thought of those gorgeous shoes left her slightly breathless.
Finally, the waiter drifted into view. Juliet, spotting him first, lifted a hand and indicated for the bill. “Sarah,” she started. Paused. “We’ve been colleagues and friends for a while now, and I want to be honest with you.”
Surprise and concern flickered across Sarah’s features. “Is there something wrong? Is it one of your children?”
“No, no nothing like that.” Another pause. “I’ve just noticed… Well, you know I’ve always admired your good dress sense. It seems that almost every day you’ve got a stylish new outfit or new handbag or new… something. And you know I love shopping just as much as the next woman, but seriously? You’ve mentioned a number of times that you and Matthew fight about how much you spend. It’s affecting your relationship.”
Sarah lifted her Ray-Bans, resting them on top of her dark brown hair. “I’m trying hard not to be offended here, but it sounds like you’re saying I have a problem. Shopping is a perfectly acceptable pastime.” She rested her folded arms on the table.
“Everything can be taken to extremes.”
“Not in my case. End of story. Now, it’s my turn to pay.” Whipping out a wad of cash, she counted the notes, leaving a generous tip. “Alright, time to head back to the office. And you’ll definitely change your mind once you see these boots. They’re what you’d call a must-have.”
Leaving her friend no space to argue, she stood up and marched off, Juliet hurrying to catch up. Their office was only a few short blocks away, but Sarah was soon lost in thought. Those boots were lovely, and worth every cent. It just couldn’t be possible that other people wouldn’t want to buy them. Juliet was definitely over-reacting.
The rest of the afternoon passed in a haze, and by the time 5pm ticked into view, Sarah was ready to leave. Driving to the shopping centre seemed to take forever, and by the time she had wrestled her 4x4 into a parking spot and headed into the mall, her heart was pounding. Finally, the Nine West store appeared in view.
As she strode through the through the open glass doors, a petite sales assistant floated into view. “May I help you?” she asked.
“Yes, thanks,” Sarah replied. “I phoned and reserved a pair of boots this morning with Annie. I’m just picking them up.”
Holding her breath, she waited for the reply. What if they had sold them to someone else? “Of course. I remember speaking to you earlier. Let me get them for you.”
Sarah breathed a small sigh of relief, closing her eyes for a second as the sales assistant turned her back. Waiting for Annie to return, she spotted a handbag resting on an elegantly lit shelf.
“Those are perfect for holding your beauty products,” the assistant purred behind her, holding the box of shoes.
“I’ll take it too. It’s gorgeous.” Who was Juliet to say that shopping was bad? Or Matthew to say she had issues? He was the one with a problem, anyway. And, of course, trying on the boots, they fit her perfectly. Everyone at the office would be so jealous.
Not even so much as glancing at the price tags, she carried both items to the till. Dizzy with excitement, she barely heard Annie murmur “That will be R3 000 please”.
Take a deep breath, she commanded herself as she handed over the card. In a few moments they’ll be yours. Her hands shook slightly as she inspected the sunglasses on the counter. Perhaps it was time to buy a new pair?
It took a few moments before she realised the sales assistant was speaking to her. “I’m sorry, there seems to be a slight problem.” She held out the credit card slip to Sarah. “Perhaps you have another available?”
“Problem? That can’t be right…” Sarah frowned at the small piece of paper. “Oh!” she stammered. Insufficient funds, the wording screamed at her. Trying to maintain her composure, she opened her purse, reaching for her own card. “This one should go through.” Why wasn’t Matthew’s account working? Thank goodness she knew this one would be successful; she had checked the balance only this morning.
Carrying the shopping bags to her car, she shoved them into the boot and drove home, deep in thought. Matthew usually worked late, but on Fridays he made an exception and left the office on time. As she pulled into the driveway, she was still not certain which direction she should take. Should she confront him? But that would mean a fight about why she was spending money on clothes again. And the possibility she could say too much. Or should she feign ignorance, and go without using his card for a while? Leaving her purchases in the car until she had decided on a course of action, she opened the door to the house, calling out a greeting.
Matthew wandered into view. “Hi Sarah.” His eyes flickered to her empty hands. A small, but noticeable, gesture. “Thought you’d be out shopping now.”
Sarah tried to grin, but felt her face form more of a grimace. Decision time. “Yes. I went to Nine West, but I didn’t find anything. There were loads of lovely things of course – you know how much I love that store. But I just don’t need anything else right now. Juliet and I had a bit of a chat about all this shopping business over lunch, actually, and…” Seeing the incredulous look on Matthew’s face, she trailed off.
“You went into Nine West but you didn’t buy anything? Pass me your keys.”
“What?” She should have known she couldn’t fool her husband. “No. It’s my car.”
“I bought it for you. Now give them to me.”
For a few seconds, the pair stared at each other before Sarah finally gave in. Digging in her bag, she pulled out her keys and almost threw them at him. Catching them, Matthew marched to her 4x4, and arrived back a few minutes later with a shopping bag dangling off either hand. “Didn’t buy anything, huh? Were you going to lie about these too? I found those boxes of shoes in the back of your cupboard this morning. Unworn. Do you know how much that cost me? Cost us?” The Nine West bags landed at Sarah’s feet. “Not only that, your lies have cost you my trust. Yes, I blocked your credit card on purpose, but you still find a way to support your habit. So I have two choices for you. One. You can keep those bags. Or two, you can keep me.
“If you choose to stay, it’s on the condition that you to go to counselling, and you check with me every single time you want to buy something. Yes, even groceries. If you want to leave now, well, that’s up to you. You can go shop all you like – with your money.”
Sarah gazed at Matthew thoughtfully, surprisingly calm. “Neither of us is perfect,” she murmured. Time to bring out the big guns.
His reply was too quick, too practised. “I love you. You know that.”
“Are you sure about that? You’re giving me an ultimatum, but the only reason why you’ve let me shop for so long is because of Megan.” His face froze. A brief, sardonic smile flittered across her face. “I found her letters while I was searching through your bank statements one day. They’re looking good. The statements, I mean. You’re a good source of income. But you’ve never given me a necklace from Thomas Sabo before.” Placing one perfectly manicured hand on her hip, Sarah assessed her husband. “I’ve known about her for a while, you know. But I guess we’ve both been keeping secrets. I wanted you around just for your money; you let me spend it to make yourself feel better.”
“I honestly didn’t think you knew about Megs.” Matthew’s face had turned the colour of baby powder.
“Of course you didn’t. Otherwise I guess you wouldn’t have said anything about my spending habits. So. You wanted an answer.” Sarah picked up the bags. “I’ll keep these. I’m sure there’s another rich fool out there.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)