I love Silk and Satin and, and, and, and

Title changed from 'Material Wealth'.
I love clothes – not just dresses and underwear. Therefore the raw material is interesting too. Lace & Leather, Silk & Satin and the rest. Enticing. Intoxicating.

An AP-500 story

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What an opportunity. I’d wanted a place of my own for years; good location with nearby parking and significant footfall. I had all the ideas. I had experience in lots of shops. I just wanted a place to begin my dream.

But THIS wasn’t MY dream! Auntie had left her shop to me. I don’t know why. It wasn’t the sort of shop for me. My business plan was a top-end interior decoration shop, offering the best of international style, furnishings, liaison with other ‘top’ bath and kitchen suppliers. A complete service from carpets to curtains, floor to ceiling.

Not this – not a clothes shop. Selling dresses to women. Daft. The whole idea was stupid. But tempting maybe. An existing clientbase with, apparently, enormous goodwill at a fantastic location.

Time to assess, investigate, learn. Why throw away something that’s up and running because I wanted something of my own? I’d seen so many try and fail. This was a runner – and it was making a good profit.

So, to Craydon. The site was even better than I’d been told. The place was busy and buzzing. I wandered in to suss out the staff and ambience.

I’d been in there just a few minutes when one of them came up and asked ‘Do you need help? Are you looking for something special for yourself?”

What did she mean? ‘Something for myself’. I’m six foot 3; an ex-rugby player in my mid-thirties. I went all aggressive “I think not. ‘something for myself?! ….. In a woman’s dress shop!’. Do you say that to any man who comes in here. What if you said that to a man with his wife nearby.”

The lass, Betriz, all of mid-twenties, responded vigorously. “That’d be silly. No – I don’t say that to any typical man – but you were looking at the clothes differently than the typical accompanying husband. I’m sorry if I made a mistake.”

“A mistake, yes. But I was looking differently because I’m the new owner.

“Oh well, it’s not even Monday. But if that was a mistake, then at least it was a big one.” She grinned. “At least now I know that sir-boss is not a tranny.”

She was facing away so didn’t see my reaction.

Later in the day, we had a pause while I was shown the material-store. I was fascinated.

So many colours. So many textures. So much variety. I found a list of materials, sadly without useful descriptions. Brocade – I had twenty waistcoats. Silk and Satin – those I knew. Taffeta – that I’d never experienced. Velvet – that was nice, But from history I knew of Barathea, Bombazine, Calico, Chenille, Chiffon, Chintz, Corduroy, Crepe, Damask, Droguet, Duck and so many more. Lame, Samite, Organza and Organdie, Toile and Tulle.

“Is sir-boss interested? Does sir-boss want the shop?”

This was wealth – material wealth. And all mine.

“Yes. Sir-boss is interested. I’ll need to learn about everything. Including, what did’y call them…. Trannys?””

Her eyebrows rose! “Something for yourself, sir-boss? she murmured.

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Not many 500-word stories currently in progress. I guess even fewer of them are getting a thrid-party interested!