If anyone had asked me a week ago what I'd be doing today, the last thing that would have entered my head would have been...well maybe I'd better let you decide for yourself.
I had the afternoon off, I'm self-employed and am in the fortunate position of being able to choose when I work. In fact, I really only need to work a couple of days a week to make quite a respectable income. Anyway, I'd been browsing round a few shops and decided to look around one of those charity shops, you know the type, they sell all sorts of bargains and bric a brac.
My mind must have been elsewhere because I was snapped back to reality by a voice saying, "It's really not your colour." I looked down and to my horror realised I was holding an awful looking floral dress. Blushing from head to toe, I dropped the offending garment instantly and turned to challenge the speaker defiantly. Unfortunately I seemed to have temporarily lost control of my tongue. I made a few gurgling sounds, then gave up.
The speaker smiled knowingly and walked away. I watched as she approached another customer and began speaking to her, seemingly oblivious of my presence. I continued to watch her for several minutes before moving to another section of the shop. Even then I kept glancing over my shoulder self consciously to make sure she wasn't still watching me.
It was almost as though I needed to prove to her that I wasn't some sort of pervert, that I had nothing to hide and was simply browsing, which of course I was. I glanced at her once more, what was it about her that bothered me so much, granted she was quite attractive, in fact, considering she was probably in her mid to late forties, she was extremely attractive, but far too old for me. She was after all, at least fifteen years my senior. Anyway, I preferred slim ladies not, how did the magazines describe her type, full figured? Yes that was it.
And I also liked girls who used little or no make up; she must have needed a trowel to apply that lot. And that hair of hers, the colour had to be out of a bottle, I mean, at her age she would be bound to have some grey hairs, not deep brown, anyway, I liked blondes. I had to admit though, she did have great legs, but someone of her age shouldn't be wearing such short dresses, she should grow old gracefully. No, I decided, she was definitely not my type. So why couldn't I keep my eyes off her?
I waited until she'd finished serving the lady, then picking up a book from a nearby table; I walked over to the counter and handed it to her. "That's 50 cents please." She said, her deep sexy voice tinged with a note of sarcasm. I blushed again and fumbled for the money. Then it came to me; "It was for a friend." She locked onto my face with her deep penetrating brown eyes. "What was?"
"Errmm, the dress, you know, the one I was holding, it was for a friend."
"Really, male or female?"
Like all liars, I hadn't expected to be cross-examined and blurted out, "Female of course."
She smiled, "Do you buy many dresses for girls?"
"Sometimes...the ermm, the girl I was buying that for was burgled and most of her clothes were taken, I thought she might like it." Oh damn what a stupid thing to say.
"That's terrible," she said seeming genuinely sorry. "It's very thoughtful of you to try to help her." I couldn't believe she'd fallen for it and what's more, she was praising me for my actions, and then she dropped the bombshell. "Look, I'll tell you what, you're not in a hurry are you?" Was she going to ask me out? What the hell, she was quite a good-looking woman.
"No, not particularly." "Good, I'm about to close up, why don't you wait here and I'll show you some of the stuff that came in today, maybe you'll be able to find a few things for your friend."
Without waiting for me to reply she ushered the last of the shoppers out and locked the door behind them. Oh shit, what had I got myself into? I could hardly make some excuse after all I'd just told her I was in no hurry. She walked past me waving her hand for me to follow. We walked through a door into what seemed to be a lounge room. I learned later that Dianne, that was her name, lived on the premises rent-free in return for working in the shop a few hours a day.
She sat at the end of a sofa and crossed her long, black stocking covered legs exposing a great deal of her thighs. I found myself thinking what a pity it was she was wearing tights instead of stockings. She gestured for me to sit beside her which I, somewhat nervously, did. I wasn't sure if she'd noticed me looking at her legs but the slight smile on her face hinted that maybe she had.
"What size?"
"I'm sorry, what do you mean?"
"Your friend, what size is she?"
"Oh I see...ermm...well she's sort of..."
"Is she my size," she sighed, "Smaller or larger?"
"Smaller."
"About your size maybe?" She asked, again there was the hint of a smile.
"No definitely not," I replied quickly, "She's slimmer than me."
"She couldn't be much slimmer or she'd be all bones." She sounded almost disappointed.