The Price Of A Day Out

In a small suburb of Auckland during the 1990s, four young ladies in their twenties were so-called "living the dream," and married to husbands with decent incomes, with some homes with a sea view. This very old suburb is mainly middle-class, with one foot in the past, and one foot in money-eyed beginnings. A lot of people had gone to school together and, for some reason, stayed in the same area, so most people naturally knew each other.

Two of the young ladies were real social climbers on a grand scale, with wardrobes that were bursting with serious fashion labels, and were always trying to wear the latest fashion before anyone else, and adored the status parties. The third was the most pathetic social climber you could probably find. She followed everyone else in what they did, said, and wore clothes that everyone else wore, even if the style didn't suit her. She had no opinions of her own, and for some strange reason, thought she was some kind of celebrity star.

The fourth young lady, called Lena, was so far from the opposite that you would wonder why she would associate with this lot in the first place, but she did more out of politeness. The four husbands had grown up together, were best mates, and as teenagers had a small lawn mowing business that did quite well, and later, as they got older, they sold their little business for a tidy profit. Even though the four husbands went their separate ways in their careers, their businesses still did business together.

Lena was soft spoken, modest, and in the other three's opinion, just a little boring, which they tried in all sorts of different ways to get her to have so-called fun. Lena was married to Tom, who was a foreman at the local garage. He didn't drive a European car, and the only time he would wear a suit and tie would be at a funeral, but he looked after Lena.

This particular Saturday was "Girls Day Out," no husbands, no kids, and no budgets! They started at their usual cafe for coffee and breakfast, and then it was off to the salon for the works, hair, facials, and nails. The staff bowed down to them and looked at each other when one of them barked that the nail polish wasn't the exact shade of red rose. Then it was off to the local pub for champagne, a few cocktails, and a large lunch. Lena's modest lunch was soup and a soda. She smiled at the staff and thanked them, even when her friends rolled their eyes upwards. The girls giggled as they strutted back to the main street to wander around the few small clothes shops to give the sales staff more abuse.

Meanwhile, back at the garage, which was just off the main street, the apprentice had just come back from lunch with one of the girls from the salon, and as he walked past Tom, he said,

"You're going to need a mortgage for your girl's day out."

Tom half yelled back, "What do you mean?"

The apprentice stopped, paused for a second, then turned around, marched back, looked Tom straight in the eye, and said,

"Just because they spend money at the salon and other businesses doesn't give them the right to abuse the staff. The staff at the salon all have their cars serviced here, and they recommend us to their customers!"

Tom's face turned red with rage, stared at the apprentice, and said, "I'll fix that!"

They both stared at each other for a second, and then both walked off. Tom quickly got on the phone to his three mates and explained what was happening with the girls' day out. Naturally, there was a bit of fireworks going off at his three friends' houses, one of which ended in divorce. But things were very different at Tom and Lena's house.

Tom came in a real foul mood. He poured himself a large whiskey and sat down at his writing desk. Then he said to Lena,

"Bring me the receipts of what you spent today."

In a very low tone. Lena didn't say a word, she placed the receipts on the writing desk, and walked out to carry on cooking dinner.

Tom picked up the receipts and saw one for the phone bill, one for the power, a grocery receipt, and a receipt for a very modest lunch of soup and soda water. He knew he was in serious trouble with his wife. This was going to take a lot of delicate negotiations to win her heart back. But how could he get it so wrong? Tom had known Lena for years; she wasn't a social climber and was a very practical person.

Tom felt like a bus had just run over him, but he walked out to the kitchen and apologised and said,

"I would like to make it up to you."

Lena didn't say a word or look at him and carried on stirring a pot.

Tom's personality changed completely after that, and he became more observant, which helped him solve problems much more easily. He took a greater interest in what Lena was doing and became more protective of her, but it still took a while before he could walk down the street holding her hand. He also fixed a few things around the house that he'd been meaning to get to.

The divorced wife went to live on Waiheke Island, which is a twenty-minute boat trip from central Auckland, as a real estate agent selling large mansions to the rich. While she is a wiser social climber and doesn't get into reckless spending of her youth, which is what you have to do to sell mansions. I am told that she still has a sharp tongue. If you cross her, or your goods and services aren't up to her standards, watch out, she will come down on you like a ton of bricks!

The plastic social climber that thought she was a movie actually came down to earth, and I met her a few times at weekend markets. She said she has real friends and is happy on the inside.