Short Story: Tulips New Suit

Tulips Fancy

 Tulip looks back in time at one of her first jobs....

    Space was getting tight in my closet. The expansion of my wardrobe was constant due to the changing shape of my body and Kelly's insistence that I keep up with fashion. I put everything that no longer fitted in a pile for Goodwill. Then I noticed the hanging bag at the end of the rail. I took it down and opened it up. It was the suit. I took it out and held it in front of me as I looked in the mirror. It was obvious how much weight I had lost since I last wore it. I think the shoulders would come halfway down my arms now. It bought back bitter sweet memories.

  I had started to enjoy this new job at the real estate agency. It had been a rocky start when they found out I couldn't drive and show houses. But there was plenty of work to do in the office. My girlfriend was so pleased when I told her how well I was doing. I think she thought I would never be able to keep a job. Thats why it was such a shock when I was called into the owner's office and told I was being let go. It seems I had mixed up two different sets of title deeds and caused a mortgage to be rejected. I'm sure it was a mistake anyone could make. But he didn't see it that way.

      It was a long afternoon waiting for my girlfriend to come home from work and she was later than normal. When she did arrive, she was carrying the hanger bag and a couple of smaller bags. I greeted her with a cup of tea and took her shopping. Before I could tell her about the injustice that had been done to me, she started opening her shopping. She had been out with her niece and saw this suit that would be prefect for my job. 

     I was dumb struck. She pulled out this obviously ladies' powder blue pant suit and two white blouses. One with quit a plane collar she said I could wear with the neckerchief they had got me in the real estate agency's colours. The other had a floppy bow at the collar. I didn't know what to say.

    Thank goodness I had lost the job. These were clearly lady's clothes. Thats when I tearfully told her I had lost the job. I'm not sure if she was more disappointed in me for losing the job or that I wouldn't be wearing my suit to the office. Her rage was frightening to me and trying on the clothes did little to change her mood. She later apologized for giving me correction while angry saying it had taken her by surprise. She went into the kitchen and opened a bottle of red wine and poured herself a glass. This was another sign of her disappointment as she never drinks during the week. She decided to order takeaway and we sat on the sofa and watched a movie. I curled up with my head in her lap trying to keep my smarting bottom off the couch as she played with my hair. About halfway through the movie, she muted it and out of the blue asked me to marry her!

    That Saturday we were married at the registry office. Angela and Peter were our witnesses and my wife's older sister and niece were there. I didn't know at the time but my name had also been changed. I wore my new suit with the bowed blouse. I felt very self-conscious but could not deny her. Her niece did some things to my hair but I drew the line when she pulled out a lipstick. Silly when I think about it now.

    I put the suit back in the hanging bag and hung it back up in my closet. I couldn't send it to Goodwill.