Perry nosied through the small pile of clothes set aside for the goodwill shop.
‘You’re not giving away this good suit are you? ‘
‘I don’t have occasion to wear it, ‘ replied Jed. ‘It’s too formal – I’d have to wear a tie and I gave them up when I retired – never again! I don’t have the brogues I used to wear with it either. Anyway, what’s wrong with the suit I was wearing yesterday? ‘
‘Nothing – you looked great but I’ve always liked this suit too. I like the material, the cut, the lapels, the buttons and the side vents’
‘Why do you like the side vents? ‘
‘I don’t know – they’re kind of rakish and anyway, you don’t need a tie or brogues – look, ‘ he said, showing Jed photos of suited models in a glossy brochure.
‘Mixing stripes and plaid is garish and he’s not even wearing socks, ‘ sneered Jed.
‘I’d let you wear socks, ‘ Perry conceded.
‘Gee – thanks, but I’ll never wear that suit again.’
‘Not even once? ‘
‘Not even once.’
‘I guess if it doesn’t fit anymore, ‘ Perry mumbled.
‘Of course it fits – you can’t trick me into wearing it.’
‘If I had broader shoulders, I’d wear it myself, ‘ mused Perry. ‘Oh well’
Perry pottered around the house humming to himself.
Jed resumed his novel on the sofa, but an inchoate suspicion repeatedly riffled the words and smudged the sentences. He found Pedro in the kitchen waggling a pencil between thumb and forefinger.
‘I’ll buy eggs while I’m out, ‘ said Perry. ‘Also, I thought I might hang on to the suit for a while and offer it to Claire for Nigel.’
Jed narrowed his eyes in concentration. ‘They won’t want it but have it your own way’. The fitful suspicion skittered by and he seized it by the tail. ‘Got it! I know what you’re thinking’, he crowed.
‘You always say that and you’re always wrong, ‘ laughed Perry. ‘I’m thinking of haikus actually:
‘Little egg
what shall you be – a Firebird?
or Pavlova
‘Which would suit m’lord?
Tea with cream or lemon
meringue pie? ‘
‘Don’t try to distract me with sweet-talk, ‘ Jed warned, ‘I’ve got a haiku for you:
‘If I go first
you’d better not bury me
in that suit! ‘
Perry gaped. ‘What a bizarre accusation, I forbid you to go first. Really, the way your mind works.’
‘The way YOUR mind works, ‘ replied Jed.
Perry bundled the suit with the other clothes, saying, ‘I’ll give it away to prove you wrong.’
He bustled down the hall and flung open the front door admitting a wedge of lemon sunlight.
‘The way YOUR mind works, ‘ he sang, hurrying down the path to avoid a rejoinder.
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