On Wednesdays, Delores,
from Under The Porch Light, has a meme which she calls
“Words for Wednesday”.
She puts up a selection
of six words which we then use in a short story, or a poem.
I’m hopeless at poetry
so I always do a story.
It’s a fun challenge…why
not join in?
This week's words are:
1. calamitous
2. fraction
3. spanx
4. glittering
5. ambitious
6. indispensable
and/or this phrase : a glitch in time saved mine
Here is my story:
"Well, how was it?" asked a grinning John as Mandy skipped in through the door.
She struck a pose and gushed theatrically, "oh what a calamitous day dahling!"
John's mouth dropped open and he almost dropped his coffee mug.
"What??"
Mandy giggled, becoming herself again. "I was copying one of the other models. Right twit she was, acting all posh and pretending to be some foreign famous model, called herself 'Miranda von Dusseldorf' or something like that.
Talk about ambitious! And pretentious!
None of us believed her of course, we'd all heard her screaming in 'fishwife cockney' at her "personal dresser" when things didn't fit."
"So you had a good time then?" asked John.
"I did," said Mandy, "it was a great day. Make me a coffee while I go and shower, then I'll tell you all about it."
She zipped through her shower in record time and was soon sitting opposite John at the table.
"Go on then," he said, "spill the beans."
Mandy helped herself to a biscuit and began.
"You remember we were going to be modelling those new "spanx" underwear thingies, apparently they're the latest thing in body shapers, and the designer says they'll be an indispensable part of any woman's wardrobe within six months ?"
John nodded, watching Mandy's face closely.
He loved how animated she got when telling stories of her days. Her eyes sparkled, her lips got that little turn up at the corners that wasn't quite a smile, but could be a full grin in an instant.
Mandy continued, "well the photographer and the layout fella decided we'd all look better posing on the sand at the beach with the glittering waves in the background.
Glittering waves!
I ask you, who talks like that?"
"Magazine layout people?" asked John.
"Yeah, probably. If I ever get too posh like that just smack me down to earth again would you?" said Mandy.
"Oh, for sure," said John, "but keep telling, please."
"Okay", said Mandy. "At first he had us all leaning along the steps at the pier with 'Miranda' on the lower step as she was the tallest and the rest of us spaced out, then we sat in deck chairs and after that we lounged on towels on the sand.
It looked like we were all wearing swimsuits, not body shaper underwear.
Anyway, finally, the layout fella said we should all just play around on the sand and the photographer could take random shots. That way the reading public could see how well the "spanx" stayed in place no matter what a woman would be doing throughout her day."
"I wish I'd been there," said John. "You know, I waited all day for that plumber and he only just got here about an hour ago and said he didn't have the right size fitting, he'd have to come back tomorrow."
"Rats!" said Mandy, "so the dishwasher isn't fixed yet?"
John shook his head, "nope."
"ah well," Mandy said, we know how to wash dishes without one, no big deal."
"Anyway, after cavorting around in the sand, in tight fitting "spanx" you can imagine what we all felt like. Remember what happens after a day at the beach? Sand in everything? Including our swimsuits? It was the same with the "spanx".
A fraction too much friction, you might say. I was glad to get those things off, I can tell you!"
"I bet you were," said John. "Describe them for me?"
Mandy thought for a moment, then said, "there are several different types of "spanx", there's a half style that goes from just above the waist to mid thigh, a regular style that goes from just under the bust almost to the knees and the full style which is a whole body suit from shoulders, with nice wide straps, a built-in bra and then all the way to the knees.
Another body style is more like a swimsuit with very strong control fabric through the middle section to hold the tummy flat. That's what we were wearing.
If a woman needs her thighs shaped as well as tummy and bottom, she'd choose the full style.
They're all in beige which didn't look very nice against the sand, so I'm hoping they'll bring them out in better colours."
Mandy sipped her cooling coffee, then, "what?" she said.
"Nothing, just watching your face. I love the way you light up after a photo shoot, you really love doing them don't you?" said John.
You're right, I do," Mandy said and it pays well. We all got paid $100 dollars per hour for today, although 'Miranda' made a big show of telling us she usually earns much, much more".
She thought for a moment. "You know, I think I've seen her before, years ago, when we were living in Brisbane. She reminds me of that Shirley Washington. I reckon she's just a plain Jane like the rest of us. Wonder why she has to pretend she's someone she isn't?"
