It’s my fault.
I told a friend we’d meet in the Sunglass Department at Century 21.
She was late.
That’s her fault.
I pass the time trying on discounted designer frames.
Slipping high-end handbags over my shoulder.
Totally my fault.
Century 21 – where you look for stuff you don’t need until you just can’t live without it.
Is it dumb luck that I discover a rack full of cocktail rings?
Or just plain dumb?
I get three.
For no good reason.
Except it’s my birthday.
Not the day. The week.
Wallets are for holding money, safeguarding coins and bills from dropping through holes in a pocket.
So why am I looking to buy a wallet?
That’s a lose lose.
Maybe a lose win.
But no way it’s a win win.
My friend texts – getting closer.
My reply – Buying Pucci wallet. Hurry. Save me from myself.
Buying deep-discount, I calculate my savings as cash in hand.
Direct-deposit to a cloud account.
When I buy discount, I expect champagne.
Yeah, I got a luscious grasshopper-green wallet but more than that I earned $250 Monopoly bucks. Birthday or no birthday, that’s something to celebrate.
My friend runs in as I turn away from the register .
She looks thrilled. Full of hope.
“Didja get it?”
“MmmHmmm.”
Hours later, we lunch on fab fries and pumpkin oil drizzled greens at Blaue Gans.
I lend her a cocktail ring.
Lawdy knows I have plenty.
Then we toast a glass of rose.
Her treat.
