Tea, Coffee, and Me Ch. 01

For the culmination of their five-day conference, the SPOILT! Boutique manageresses' dress code was relaxed - or casual/informal.

The only stipulation was that they wear the company T-shirts specially made for them for the occasion.

Their specially made T-shirts came in a variety of light pastel shades and full-on bright colours. And emblazoned on the front of the T-shirts was their company's famous and readily recognisable logo: SPOILT! - FOR CHOICE!

First at my table for a cup of coffee, her name tag informed me, was the conference heading SPOILT! Boutique manageress of London's Oxford St's everything-under-one-roof showpiece store herself, Miss Hazel Connaught-Cavendish.

A picture of elegance, her hair and make-up were impeccable. Even the golden-yellow T-shirt she wore seemed carefully chosen, serving to compliment her olive-complexioned skin.

Manageress of her chain's premier store, in her mid-twenties, Miss Hazel Connaught-Cavendish was the perfect embodiment and the ideal advertisement for SPOILT! Boutiques.

Glamorous, gorgeous, blue-eyed and blonde, the unwavering directness of her appraising gaze as she waited for me to pour and serve her cup of coffee was utterly unnerving.

"I absolutely must congratulate you, Mrs Harper, on your new acquisition. How splendid! I'm sure he will do us just nicely," opined Miss Connaught-Cavendish, voicing her approval and pleasure.

Zoe gave me a meaningful little double dig in the ribs with her elbow, and I felt my face lighting up anew.

"Thank you, Miss Connaught-Cavendish," replied my employer, beaming. "I'm so glad you approve of David! Because - though I have a most sympathetic and supportive contact at the Job Centre in Miss Tomkins, who has come through for me repeatedly - unfortunately, at such short notice one can't always rely on the suitability and much less the quality of the quick, needs-must emergency replacement Miss Tomkins can supply."

"Well, Mrs Harper, I think your Miss Tomkins has certainly done you proud this time, with David! In fact, with just the unfortunate exception of yesterday afternoon to which you allude, when sadly David's predecessor felt the need to terminate his employment with you with immediate effect and ran out on us mid-service, you have looked after us marvellously all week."

"Ah ... yes. If it's any consolation, I have seen to it that Neville will be dealt with to the full extent of the law - as we speak, he might well be on his way to enjoy the famed hospitalities of the Jailhouse Blue female prison officers of Greystone Prison. And again, I'm afraid I can only apologise, for Neville's unpardonable-"

"Oh - not to worry, Mrs Harper; these things can happen. It was just a little glitch, which my colleagues and I have already forgiven and forgotten. Because speaking on behalf of SPOILT! Boutiques, I can promise you that in addition to availing ourselves of your splendid refreshments breaks catering services in future, all of our manageresses will be sure to reference glowingly to other potentially interested colleagues your ... 'little-something-extra'."

"Oh - how kind! And ... well, speaking of which, why not be the first, Miss Connaught-Cavendish, to avail yourself of David?"

"Yes. Why not, indeed? I should be delighted, Mrs Harper. Most delighted!"

Mrs Harper then turned to me, smiling encouragement as a prompt.

"Um ... David, the initial rush seems to be calming down a bit now, so I think Amanda, Zoe and I can manage from here ... So, would you like to go along now, with Miss Connaught-Cavendish?"

I looked at Zoe, and she nodded back at me, smiling.

So this was it, then.

And once again, I was literally, lost for words.

But then, words weren't required.

Merely my silent, compliant nod of respectful acquiescence was satisfactory.

'Tea, Coffee, and Me' continues in Ch. 2 of 3.