The salon was very busy and Deidre had been so lucky to get an appointment. There'd been a cancellation because Mrs. Brown from the Post Office had had a fall. Katya the young stylist had looked a bit taken aback when Deidre had exclaimed how lucky that was. Deidre hadn't noticed and graciously accepted her cup of coffee and magazine and when Katya said would she like an Indian head massage and a hand massage Deidre nodded eagerly. She thought it was kind to accept these offers because then she could give tips to all the young girls.
Katya put down the hot hair brush and handed Deidre a mirror so she could inspect the back of her head.
'Lovely Katya, ' she sighed, ' it looks so glossy and I love the colour.'
Katya smiled at Deidre's reflection in the mirror,
'I'm glad you like it Mrs. Harris, I'm moving back to Poland next week. It's been a pleasure to meet you.'
Deidre put on a sad face, she was hearing this a lot lately. Since Brexit so many were going back to their own countries. Well, she thought, it's good they realize that Britain isn't the Promised Land. She was so lucky to have been born in England, to live in this pretty town, to have beautiful clever children and grandchildren. She stood up and said in a loud voice,
'Show me where the boxes are for the tips please Katya' and in a stage whisper, 'I'll give you a bit extra to help you make a new start.''
Katya leaned forward, her long blonde hair swishing and gleaming in the salon lights, her turquoise blue eyes glistening with tears, she whispered back,
'My boyfriend wants to go back to Poland, he misses his family, he has asked me to marry him and we are going to live in a pretty village on the Vistula, I will send postcards.'
She put the boxes for the tips on the counter and Deidre took out her purse and made a show of dropping coins in all the boxes for the girls who had dealt with her. She swept out of the salon into the bright sunshine and tilted her head up tossing her hair back and forth.She felt so lucky, particularly lucky today, her dear husband Tom was taking her for a special lunch to celebrate their new hybrid car.
They really were doing their bit for the environment. They were good people. She was lucky. She thought how everyone in the town must see her as lucky, good, kind and gracious. That was how she was seen, she was sure. She always gave generously when people came to the door asking for contributions to the village fête or the winter party or whatever. Her pilates classes had made it possible for her to bend down discretely and toss coins in front of the homeless people in the town. She never could understand why their benefits weren't enough. It was a mystery with all the taxes Tom paid.
She walked down the Hight Street thinking about what to wear at her dinner party on Saturday. Outside the supermarket was the young man handing out the Big Issue. She always gave him something and liked to say to her friends that it made no difference to her but a lot to him. She reached for her purse but then remembered she had given all her loose cash to the girls in the hairdressers. She could nip into the supermarket, buy something and break into a £20 pound note and come out and give him the change. Planning the menu for the dinner party she had seen a recipe for vodka and lemon sorbet which sounded a bit daring and fresh. They never had vodka in the house, Tom was a wine connoisseur. She slipped into the supermarket not bothering with a basket or trolley and made her way to the liquor aisle.
As she was studying the bottles she saw Tom's favourite Champagne on the top shelf. She grabbed the nearest bottle of vodka and reached up for the champagne.They had lots to celebrate.
There was a tap on her shoulder and she turned to see Anne from her Bridge club,
'I thought it was you Deidre, I'm collecting for Samantha's sixtieth, we thought £10 each is that ok.?
Deidre held up her large leather shopper and fumbled inside for her purse, taking out a £10 note she waved it at Anne,
'Here you are, if you need any more let me know.'
Anne grabbed the note and turned away with a cheery wave.
Deidre followed her to the check out. She placed the vodka on the belt next to Anne's baguette and cherry jam. Anne raised her eyebrows and placed a divider between their purchases. When it was Deidre's turn she was pleased to see she when she checked her change that she had just enough coins for the Big Issue chap and kept them in her hand. As she stepped away from the check out an alarm went off and everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her. Anne turned back. The cashier pressed a button under her till and a tall young man in uniform appeared.
Deidre's blood went cold and she started to shake.
'It's a mistake, it's not me,' She looked at the girl behind the till, pleading, 'Did you forget to take something off?'
She could hear someone talking to Anne, saying in a loud voice, 'Alcoholics always drink vodka, it doesn't leave a smell' Anne was nodding and clutching her baguette in self defence.
The Store manager glared at Deidre,
'Please can I inspect your shopper?'
It wasn't really a question and he snatched it from Deidre and took out the bottle of Champagne, holding it up in a triumphant pose for all to see. Deidre laughed in relief, 'Oh silly me, I must have put it in my bag by mistake, I always have a trolley but I only wanted the vodka to make a lemon sorbet. The champagne's for my husband, It's was juts a mistake. I'm so sorry.'
She looked round at the spectators, laughing and shrugging her shoulders,
'It could happen to any of us,' when she saw the grim expression on their faces she turned back to Anne, 'Couldn't it Anne?'
Anne pursed her lips. The Store manager clapped his hands,
'You'd better come to my office', 'Everyone the show is over. 'Deidre fought to stop her tears, she wanted Tom, she wanted to go home. Just then someone rushed up to the check out, tossing a few sandwiches and a yoghurt in front of the cashier, who had been filing her nails and enjoying the drama.
It was Katya, She grinned at Deidre and then stopped as she took in the situation. She looked at the Store manager who explained what had happened. When Katya spoke her voice was gentle and filled with so much kindness that Deidre felt like she had been enveloped in a warm embrace.
'This is ridiculous, you should be ashamed of yourselves.' She turned to all the people who were standing around spellbound by the events. Anne took a step back.
Katya carried on,
'This woman is my friend, she is a well respected generous person, how dare you all embarrass her like this. Whatever has she done it's a mistake.'
She put her arm round Deidre, 'Come Mrs. Harris we will go to my boyfriend's office, he is the store Manager, Andre.'
Andre called out to all the customers.
'Right everybody I am sorry it was my mistake, this lady deserves an apology, I will make it my business to see this happens. Good day.'
There was a lot of mumbling and Anne hurried away eager to tell the Bridge club her version before Deidre had a chance.
In Andre's office Deidre was sipping at a cup of tea and nibbling on a chocolate Hob nob, feeling relief flooding through her. She was so lucky to have given Katya a big tip and she was so lucky that Katya had come to buy her lunch right then and she was so lucky that her boyfriend was the Store manager. She wasn't quite so lucky that Anne had been at the supermarket and she didn't want to make lemon and vodka sorbet after all.
'
