Wednesday, July 31, 2013

The Agony

The Stripe of the night is vivid lilac and midnight blue.  She opened her eyes slowly and tried to focus.  Immediately a sharp pain cut into her temple and flared into a purple bloom of agony behind her eye.  She turned on her side and fumbled for the nightstand drawer.  A wave of nausea broke over her; her arm dropped uselessly and hung there, clammy and cool.  Another stab of pain, this one deep indigo and intense.  She made one more valiant grab for the drawer before the white pain came and oblivion.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

The Gift

Placating us, Brian wears the richly textured mahogany silk cravat with coral coloured petit points.  She stared at the heavy burled oak dresser and crib with dismay.  "They're family heirlooms worth thousands," her husband said.  "They mean it to be a very loving and important gift for the baby."  Later, she found fluffy sheer fabric with multicolored polkadots.  She made billowing curtains, valances, a dust ruffle for the crib, and a half-ruffle for the dresser, which would be doubling as a changing table with a custom-made pad on top. The effect was lovely.  The warm finish of the oak grounded the room and made it feel safe and strong.  She thought of her husband and smiled.

Monday, July 29, 2013

For The Man Who Has Everything!

I wish Brian Williams' tie had some quality by which I could recommend it; alas, it does not.  The fabric appears cheap, like dime store sateen, and the vivid stripes are best described as Hunter's Orange.  Even the background colour is a rather blinky navy blue, like one would find as part of a dollar store dolly's sailor outfit, made in Taiwan or Bangladesh or China or someplace.  On the whole, this tie comes across as something one might find in a conglomerate gift given by one's goofy aunt who is prone to shop at warehouse closeouts, yard sales, flea markets, and from television channels like ShopTV.  Perhaps she saw something called The Businessman's Bucket, a plastic receptacle with a solar calculator, a faux leather phone case, a plastic "marbleized" pen and pencil set, this tie, and a microsuede address book.  Just the thing!

Friday, July 26, 2013

Summer Party

Could tonight's tie be any lovelier?  Lilting, slim stripes of lilac and creamy white look summery and light.  She laughed as he led her, hands over her eyes, into the small park near the old store.  A few more steps, then they stopped; he brought his mouth close to her ear and said softly, "Happy birthday to your inner child."  He took his hands away, and she was able to see the astonishing tableau before her.  The trees were hung with pastel streamers and white fairy lights.  A picnic table in the centre, covered in a rainbow cloth, held goblets of candy which surrounded a multi-tiered cake.  In a strange procession, balloons began to emerge from the surrounding bushes and trees; they were carried by her family and friends.  She clapped her hands in delight, her eyes filling with tears.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Un Interlude Avec L'Histoire

Monsieur Williams has decided to reprise some summery cravats after all.  This is one of my favourites, a cravat of broad carnation pink and midnight sky stripes.  He thought it was impossible, but it was true.  Here, on a quaint avenue in Paris, he found her--quite by accident--yet here she was.  The shop had the requisite French pink and black striped awnings, and the sign "Le Studio Ste. Jeanne" was modestly displayed.  Through the window he watched her as she meticulously added embellishments to one of her creations, a black straw fedora, as its owner waited.  Her hands were gentle and quick, and loose tendrils of hair were pushed back into her haphazard French twist.  She was as beautiful as ever, as beautiful as he had left her, and he stood and watched in rapt fascination.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

How Easily We Are Pleased These Days

BriWi really reached into the depths of his Tie Armoire for this evening's cravat.  It has been ages since he knotted up this raspberry silk with sky and turquoise medallion pattern.  In the past I've likened it to Lillian Vernon vinyl stained-glass window covering by-the-roll, Greg Brady's "groovy pad" light display, and all manner of wacky stuff.  Tonight I'm just thrilled to see something other than Stripes.

Monday, July 15, 2013

The Artist

Tonight's tie is a lovely sky blue crossed with stripes of cloud white and a narrower band of anthracite.  He jumped down from the back of the truck, waved his thanks to the driver, and began walking off into the brush.  It was early morning, but the sun was brilliant and warm.  He readied his camera and began snapping off shots of the rocks, the road, the clouds, all three, or two at a time in varying combinations.  He walked on, sometimes backward, but all the while clicking off pictures.  It might be an hour--or two or three--before another truck came down this stretch to give him a ride.  Until then, he'd walk and shoot.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

The Other Side

Tonight's cravat is a striper of deep lilac and nightsky.  Down a darkened corridor and into a shadowy, candlelit anteroom she followed her wordless guide.  Seated on a shabby settee, she waited patiently for one of the curtained portals to open.  It was immaterial which spiritualist she consulted with.  All that mattered was that she made contact.  In a few minutes, the purple satin draperies directly across from her were drawn to the side.  A gloved hand beckoned her in.  Tears of gratitude began to well in her eyes.  She moved swiftly into the small, dim room, and the portal sighed shut.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Conspiracy At The Manor House

Wide stripes of pumpkin and somber navy comprise this evening's cravat.  "And what may I get the little miss for her luncheon?" asked the footman, bowing low before the curly, redheaded mite perched at table.  "Oh, Rolph," she sighed dramatically, "luncheon is dretful!  Mayn't I have strawberries an' ice cream only?  No san'wich?  Please?  Oh, so pretty please?"  He laid a gloved hand upon her coppery head, smiled, and winked at her.  "I think we shall find something pleasant in Cook's kitchen.  You may leave it to me."

Monday, July 8, 2013

It Takes Your Breath And It'll Leave You Blind

SPT.  And one that looks as if it were made from the leotard of a roller-blader in the finale of an off-off-Broadway performance of Xanadu.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Blue

This evening's cravat is the textured narrow striper of pewtered blue and dark turquoise.  All the days seemed the same to her; indeed, they were.  She kept the curtains drawn in all the rooms, she rarely ventured out of bed, and she ignored the phone.  Her headache was a constant companion, for she rarely ate but often cried.  Sometimes the sobs were soft and mostly tears.  Other times she gave in to the grief entirely, and huge wails wracked her body and her soul.  She moaned her loss and sank into her darkness so completely that she could see nothing of herself, nothing of who she was, and nothing of who she would ever be without them.

Monday, July 1, 2013

In Which We Are Grateful For, Perhaps, A Lint Roller

Brian has returned from a few more days off, and rather than be bothered by selecting a new tie from his armoire or closet or dresser, he grabs one off the floor, recently worn.  It is the deep blue and creamy white stripe from 25 June.  Certain I would see a few dog hairs clinging to it, I walked to my television set and peered critically at it during a tight shot, my Dollar Store reading glasses held tight to the bridge of my nose.  Nope.  None.  At least he did us that favour.