Sushi the shop assistant...

In case you guys were wondering where Sushi is...oh well the last few weeks Sushi has been rather down in the dumps. You would realize why once you hear what happened...

One day soon after the New Year's, Sushi bursting with the fervor of a bag full of  new resolutions had applied for a temporary position as an assistant sales manager in one of the many boutiques she frequently frequents. Much to her delight she got the job and the best part was that she was entitled to a 20% discount on any purchase she made due to her employee status!

Sushi made extra effort to dress nicely for her job. Gone were the days of  hot pink, sequined track pants. This was a posh place and she dressed in mauves, lilacs and beiges to fit in.  She was  extremely good with the clients  and could discuss clothes with the women for hours, happily suggesting them stuff to wear, carrying and fetching for them. While other girls often grumbled about this and gossiped about their clients, Sushi loved doing it all. She felt like she was in clothes heaven. She marveled at the capacity of some of the women to spend money. They literally spend thousands without the slightest hesitation. Sushi  often indulged in a little self pity when witnessing such extravagance but then she  immediately perked up thinking of the special privileges she enjoyed as an employee.  She was in a state of sublime pleasure as she got to check out the clothes as soon as they arrived and could put aside for herself the best of the lot. And the best bit was while shopping she did not have to worry about her pending credit card bill because the shop owed her salary so they simply kept an account of how much she was spending and said they would adjust it against her salary.

But sadly at the end of the month when she was expecting a nice pay check with some deductions, all she got was a further bill. Not only all her salary had gone into paying for her clothes, she still had to pay about a thousand quid more. Looking at the bill Sushi swallowed hard and remembered her conversation with Snow just two days back. 

She was going out in yet another new dress, when Snow noticed it and said    "Isn't this another new dress? I think this is the 6th or 7th new thing you have worn since you joined that shop! Also you seem to be picking up new shoes and other stuff as well"....

Sushi had felt a moment's irritation at Snow's observation. Really he never noticed enough to compliment her but certainly did so to tick her off. But instead of snapping at him and starting a fight, she decided to be gracious. It suited her new 'career girl' image!

So she smiled benignly at him and said: " Yes darling! Isn't it lovely? How smart of you to notice! Oh I love the colour and the way the fabric drapes my body..." She twirled around for his benefit and asked "So how do I look honey?"

Snow (noncommittal as ever): " Hmmmm...these kind of look expensive....how on the earth will you pay for them? You know your credit card bills are pending..."

Sushi: "Oh darling...don't you worry...I am a working girl now...not only will I pay for these clothes myself... but I will also pay off the credit card..."

Snow: " Ok..." (grudgingly) and gone back to whatever he was reading.

Sushi blew Snow a kiss and smartly walked out of the house. Ever since she had joined the boutique there was a spring in her step, she felt more confident and smarter. While sashaying out she thought to herself "Oh Snow can be such a fuss pot and a worrier to boot. Really he forgets that I am a mature, grown up woman, with an income of my own." She tossed her hair with her new found confidence and drove off.

Now looking at the bill she swallowed hard and tried to check the items. Oh dash it all, almost every day she had taken something home and worn it the very next day to the shop. She loved it when the clients marveled at her dresses and the shop manager complimented her and the other girls made jealous faces. She could not understand why the other girls never picked up anything from there. Now it dawned on her that the clothes were way too expensive to afford on their salaries.

But how to pay this off. Oh well she could always arrange to adjust this bill with her next month's salary. But then how on earth will this month go? In a fit of generousness she had asked Snow to discontinue her monthly allowance and also promised to do the grocery. On a thoughtful mode Sushi went off for lunch. In a fit of economy Sushi went to Mac Donald's and temporarily forgot her woes in Mac Chicken, fries and nuggets.

Sushi came back to the shop burping like a child, happily sucking her Diet Coke, when the manager handed her  a dress.

Sushi: "Oh what is this?"

Manager: "Oh Sushi the evening dress you sent to alter...I must say the  burgundy silk would look great on you (ever the saleswoman)...are you planning to wear this somewhere special, dear?" This lady had managed the boutique for years, yet she never bought any of her clothes from there. Sushi secretly thought that she was extremely tight fisted, who could do with some nice clothes. But she was a good boss and always complimented Sushi, so they had got along fine.

Sushi's heart sank a little lower and food happy till two seconds ago settled at the pit of her stomach and started making ugly sounds. Oh she had forgotten all about this dress. A fantasy in burgundy silk...when it had come, Sushi had held it in her hand and fallen instantly in love with it. She could visualize herself looking lovely in it, dancing the night away in arms of dashing young men in some posh ball. Even Snow complementing her! Impulsively she had booked one for herself and sent it for alteration....the dress must look as if it was tailor made for her!  It all came back to Sushi in a slow motion, much like a horror film, the situation similar to  when the heroine realises that the villain has corned her and there is just about no one to help her. Oh dear oh, the dress was very expensive (it  could easily feed a small nation of people) and in her bankrupt state it was astronomically expensive and worst of all she had nowhere to wear it to. Should she try and sell it off? But to whom and how? It had been altered to fit her. Briskly cutting into Sushi's contemplation, the manager handed her a fresh bill, hardly aware that she had triggered a huge economic crisis in Sushi's life!

Patience folks....to be continued...