Random reminder

Press, 2 January 1979, Page 14

Random reminder

DISCLOSURE Mrs A la mode was noted for her immaculate grooming and bright smile. In fact she was quite the sunniest of the work-force that accumulated at one particular suburban bus stop every morning. Some people leaned against the corner shop yawning openly. Others jostled to park their weary bodies on the 2m bench. Those who were not early enough to get a space in the centre of this meagre plank, cheeked a few centimetres on the ends of it and were grateful. Many stood around frantically hitching and buttoning their hurriedly donned garments, and a few last minute arrivals could be seen a long way off, doing a “Walker” sprint. But Mrs A la mode was never late or ruffled. She had not a curl out of place, each eye-lash was carefully parted, and her teeth were like dazzling pearls. For her, the sound of an alam clock at 6 a.m. was a romantic tingle up the spine. She would leap out of bed eagerly, shower, dress meticulously, and then go to work on her face. One final appraisal in her mirror and she set out to catch the bus. Her tingling spine carrying her like a

model towards the corner garage, where she slowed down a pace. “He” always manned the pumps and there were no half measures either. Indeed, the petrol usually overflowed as he goggled at the ravishing Mrs A la mode. You could say these two enjoyed one magic moment as they approached her gruelling day at the office, and his fuelling day al the bowser. For them it was always a good morning, unit ‘hat fatal night when she forgot to wind the alarm. With only half an hour between her and the bus, something had to go, and it dare not be her job. She upped, dressed, coiled a curl, parted an eye-lash and dahsed. There “he” was as usual — manning his pumps. He smiled, she sm . . . but oh dear; her dazzling pearls were floating in a glass of water in the bathroom. Clamping a hand over the gap, she fled back home. Missing the bus was a mere bagatelle compared with the shattering realisation that her bit of fickle romance was over. It also meant taking the long way round to the bus stop every moring.