A Whim

          I burst out of bed this morning and ran out of the Youth Hostel without waking Ed. I’d had a dream and needed to act before it slipped away. I found the nearest florist and bought a single white rose with a simple white card. On the card I wrote:

 

‘At mid-night I dreamt of a perfect white pearl of a rose lying upon an endless ocean of black velvet’

 

            I ran all the way to Sharona’s house and tied the rose and card to the wooden keystone in her porch. I kissed the rose gently before stepping back, watching the silent house, before jogging back to the hostel.

            Back at the hostel I took breakfast up to Ed and he woke to it delighted.

            “It’s going to be a beautiful day, Ed.”

 

*

 

            Once we were both ready for the day we went to the Audubon Zoo. We spent some time wandering about and looking at all the hot and languid creatures until we passed a payphone. Ed stopped and made a quick call.

            “I’m seeing Miranda tonight,” he said, coming back over.

            “Yes.”

            “And Sharona will be there.”

            “I know.”

            “?”

            “Fate, Ed, just like I said.”

            “And like I told you, Tom, a real man makes his own luck, and a real friend makes it for his best mate too.” He patted me on the back affectionately. “Now, there’s a further part to this plan: style. We’re going to see the girls perform, so we need to look like proper men.” He raised a knowing eyebrow at me. “And Miranda told me so.”

            “Since when do you ever do what a girl says?”

            “It’s a whim,” he said, and winked at me.

 

*

 

            We left the zoo and went to a fine looking tailor in central New Orleans. We took two splendid bespoke suits after an hour and a half of fitting. Ed chose cream and I had navy. We finished them off with plain white open fronted shirts.

            They weren’t cheap and I wasn’t entirely sure where Ed got the money. He always gives the impression of poverty, yet produces money whenever required.

            So we’re all set and ready for tonight, and I know it’s going to be perfect.