Dressed to Impress

by Saskia Haxhi

Jenny threw one last scrutinising look in the mirror. She really had to get going if she was going to be on time, but she simply wouldn’t leave the house unless she looked perfect. She turned her head to the left, then to the right, patting a stray hair back into place. She grabbed the can of hairspray and applied a little more of the miracle stuff, so that not a single wayward hair would drop over her ear again. She realised aerosols were bad for the environment and she did feel a bit guilty about using them, but how else was she going to look her best?

She stepped back and checked her navy blue pant suit and cream silk blouse. Not a bit of fluff or cat hair to be seen. Good. She loved her daughter and was always happy to see her, but why the girl always had to bring that bloody cat of hers along was a mystery. It was bad enough visiting Amy at her own house, at least that way she could make sure she wore her least expensive clothes and, more importantly, she could brush them clean of any feline hairs before she stepped back into her own house.

Jenny frowned. If Ron could see her he’d barely be able to hide his annoyance at what he called her nitpicking. He always said that if she looked any more impeccable, they’d stick her in a wax museum. What did he know about the pressures of fitting in with friends, always having to be aware of their gossip behind your back, when they found even the most minute thing to criticise? He had no idea how harsh women could be.

Jenny believed that when you reached your fifties if was virtually impossible to look beautiful, but what she lacked in looks she was dead-set to make up for in appearance. Age was no reason to just let yourself go. She went to her hairdresser once a month, she wanted her curls to be flawless, and while Julian put her hair in curlers he touched up her roots, so that there was never a grey hair in sight. To further assure she always presented herself immaculately, she went shopping at least every fortnight, more often if she could afford it.

Well, this would have to do, this was as good as it was going to get. She quickly walked to the front door, picked up her handbag, which was the exact same colour as her navy pant suit and shoes, and yelled goodbye to Ron, telling him that if he didn’t hurry up he’d be late for work. She couldn’t hear his reply and she guessed it was just as well, but she didn’t have any time for his antics now. Traffic would be bumper to bumper at this hour, she would be lucky if she reached the restaurant in time, never mind beating Jane to it.

She always tried to get to restaurants and cafés before her friends did. Without having to say a word, it always made her friends feel like they were being slack, while she, Jenny, was punctual and in control as always. Being early also allowed her to find a table near a window and she could clean the table and chairs if they needed it, which they usually did.

Twelve minutes later she parked her car behind the restaurant. One more quick look in the vanity mirror, another pat on her hair, a little more lipstick, and she was on her way to meet Jane.

As soon as she walked into the brightly lit eating place two things struck her. First that Jane had arrived before her and that she had chosen a table right in the middle of the room, and secondly that her friend was wearing a tracksuit. What the hell was she thinking? Jenny wouldn’t be seen dead wearing a tracksuit in company, let alone in a restaurant. She wrinkled her nose in disapproval and for a moment she considered leaving before Jane spotted her. She could give her a call on her mobile, telling her that Ron had fallen ill and that she needed to take him to the doctor.

Too late. Jane was smiling her biggest smile and waved her over. This overly enthusiastic greeting was accompanied by a “Jenny, love. Over here! You’re a bit late this morning, that’s not like you.”

Jenny felt more than a little offended. Jane was late more often than not. Only by a minute or two, but still. And she was the one wearing that horrible tracksuit. For the life of her she couldn’t understand why people didn’t make an effort when they were meeting someone. Or just when they went shopping for that matter.

“How are you doing, Jane?” she asked, not trying very hard to put some warmth into her voice. She sat down opposite her friend. Usually they exchanged kisses, but she made sure there was enough distance between them to avoid that today. She would not kiss a woman who was wearing a tracksuit.

Over her dead body!

Jane looked confused and it was clear to Jenny that the other woman was trying very hard to act as if everything was all right. “You look lovely, Jenny, especially for this time of day. Do you have an appointment later?”

Jenny opened her mouth to make a snide remark, but she couldn’t think of any, she was too taken aback by her friend’s careless reply. What did it matter what time it was or whether or not she had an appointment later on? She took a few deep breaths in an effort to get her anger under control.

“How are you doing, Jane?” she finally asked again. Jane sensed something wasn’t quite right, Jenny could tell. The woman fidgeted with a napkin and her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“I ordered you a flat white with soy milk, that’s what you usually have, isn’t it?” Jane tried. Jenny gave her a curt nod. “Thank you, Jane.”

The two women avoided each other’s eyes for a second or two, the silence thick between them. Finally Jenny decided that sitting here like this was not going to make the time pass any faster, so she struck up a tentative conversation. “How have you been, Jane? And how is your granddaughter? Does she enjoy kinder?”

Jane immediately started talking about her family, her relief was so great that Jenny almost felt guilty for treating her friend the way she had. Almost… until her eyes caught that black and white monstrosity the woman was wearing. Jane stopped mid-sentence. She looked at Jenny, flustered with insecurity.

“Jenny, love. Is something wrong? You’re so… I don’t know… cold this morning. Have I done something to upset you?”

Jenny was appalled. The two women had been friends since they were twelve years old. How could Jane not know how insulting her choice of dress was? She looked at her hands clasped tightly around the handbag in her lap. Finally she faced the woman she thought she knew.

“Frankly, Jane, you have upset me. I was looking forward to having breakfast with you this morning and as you can see I made an effort. I did my hair, I put on make-up and I am wearing a nice suit. You on the other hand haven’t even bothered to put on some make-up. But worst of all, you show up in a tracksuit. This is a public place. There are people here! I can only imagine what they must be thinking. Honestly, Jane, how can you be so insensitive?”

Jane stared at her for a few moments, struggling for something to say.

“Never mind,” Jenny said. “I think I’d better leave now. Perhaps we can have breakfast some other day, when you decide to dress for the occasion. Until then I think we’d best not see each other for a while, all right?”

“But…Jenny, I…”

But Jenny didn’t listen. She got up from her chair, carefully pushed it back under the table and, without another glance at her friend of forty-one years, left the MacDonald’s restaurant.

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