Marty and Julie had been married for 5 years, and Marty was struggling to come up with a great gift for his wife. He had looked at jewelry, sexy lingerie, and dozens of other ideas. Nothing seemed to be exactly what he was looking for, until one day the perfect suggestion crossed his path.
"You think she'll like that?" asked Marty.
"Honey," replied Susie. "ANY woman would love that gift. I promise!"
Susie had been cutting Marty's hair for three years and was always full of some useful or useless piece of information. This time, Marty was sure he had lucked into a pretty useful idea. Susie had suggested that Julie get a visit from Mark LaRose, a leading designer of women's clothing in the city. The big difference was that Mr. LaRose would make house calls. Marty knew that Julie was usually pretty timid and may not even go for the idea.
"I don't know, Julie is usually pretty shy."
"Honey, this guy is good. He could talk a cat out of a tree I bet. Plus, he has a way of connecting with his clients. Somehow the guy always gives his clients exactly what they want."
"You ever had him design anything for you?" Marty asked.
"Oh, honey, no. I don't have money to throw at that sort of thing! Besides he would probably faint if he saw the amount of polyester in my wardrobe."
"Well, I suppose I could check it out."
"Oh, just go for it, she'll love it!"
"Fine, fine, I'll trust you this time. How do I get ahold of this Mark LaRose?"
Susie gave Marty the name of a friend who was friends with LaRose. After a few phone calls he finally got in touch with the designer himself.
"Uh, hello, is this Mark LaRose?"
"Yes, this Mark LaRose. I am very busy, what is your need?" demanded a man with a thick accent, maybe French.
"Well, a friend of mine, told me you design women's clothing..."
"Yes, yes, go on." "I want to know what you charge for a visit to my wife for our anniversary."
"Fine, yes, that would be $500 for a half day visit. This includes five designs."
"Five hundred?!" questioned Marty.
"I have plenty of people who value my time, you are wasting it... good bye."
"Wait, wait, wait," said Marty.
"I'm waiting"
"Look, if that's your price, that's fine. I was just shocked at first, I've never hired a designer."
"Apology accepted. I can be at your house at 1 pm on Thursday."
"Oh, ok, well..."
"I am a very busy man, Mr..."
"Just Marty is fine."
"Good, Marty, now, I need information on your wife."
"Like what?"
"Hair color?"
"Brunette."
"Natural?"
"Does that matter?"
"Mr. Marty, this will go much easier if you just answer the questions."
"Alright, yes," answered Marty.
"Build?"
"Uh, I know she normally buys from the petite section."
"Good, and cup size?"
"You need to know that?"
"We have been over this already, have we not?"
"B," answered Marty.
"Excellent. Now I can bring the proper materials and color pallets."
"Thank you, Mr LaRose. I will tell Julie to look for you at 1 on Thursday."
"Very good, sir, I am quite sure, your wife will be satisfied. Good bye."
Marty hung up the phone, thinking he had just secured the best gift for his wife. What more could a woman want than to have a designer give her the personal treatment and create some outfits especially for her.
Julie was reading a magazine when Marty cruised in the front door an hour ahead of schedule.
"Hey good lookin'!"
"You're home early," said Julie with a smile.
"I got your anniversary present today and I'm excited!"
"Well, then I'll take it today," she replied.
"Nope, you don't get it until Thursday."
"What is it?"