Fashion Show

I met Roger at a friend's party. He looked very smart in a dark
suit. He was just twenty-six and had recently become general manager of
a leading bank. A lot of girls wanted to marry him but he seemed to
like me instantly. I guess he liked my frankness and obvious good
looks. He was also impressed by our car. He later told me that his
family had never owned a car before he bought his Opel. Whatever it was
we were soon great friends. We started going out with other friends
during weekends. Then on one Sunday while sipping coffee in our garden
he gave me a rose. He did not say a word but I nodded and said, 'Yes'.
I am not sure why I accepted his proposal. Maybe I was beginning to get
bored. Nevertheless from the very next day we declared ourselves
lovers. We went everywhere in each other's company. We seldom went to
night clubs. Instead we were invited to parties where one had to wear
formal clothes and speak politely. It was not difficult for me. This
was the society in which I had been brought up and it required no
special effort to blend in. But Roger was never comfortable. He would
only go when it was absolutely necessary. He seemed tongue-tied and
eager to leave when allowed to. I hated him for this because I wanted a
husband who liked the good things in life. And Roger was always trying
to save money. However, we were going to be engaged very soon and I was
convinced that Roger would become an ideal husband. It was only a
matter of time.
Poltoons is one of the biggest fashion houses in Calcutta. They
launched their winter collection last month at Grand Hotel. A lot of
important people were invited. Roger was one of the guests and so was
I. The main event took place in the Ball Room. It was a star-studded
fashion show. A number of major models from Bombay were present. Chief
among them were Suzie Sen and Midge Supper. Among the men there was
Supper's boyfriend Mel and the handsome newcomer Arin. There were
others too but they were not known faces. The show began as the master
of ceremonies(MC) appeared on the ramp and talked about Poltoons. The
MC was small-time actor Richardson. He took his seat beside the ramp
and related one joke after another. The focus of the show, the theme
was fashion of the future. New fabrics had been used by Poltoon's
in-house designers to create futuristic but essentially wearable
clothes. The garments were all appreciated. In the breaks between
various parts of the show the leading crooner Jasmine sang some popular
songs. But the people were less interested in the songs and more
enthusiastic about the good-looking models. In the end there was an
awards ceremony where the best male and female models were given
trophies. Midge and Arin won easily. We were told that the winners had
been selected by the models themselves. At last the show was over and
the dinner buffet declared open. As I collected my food Arin happened
to pass by. He seemed very familiar. In fact he looked like a boy who
had studied with me in school. This person had left Calcutta when his
father found a new job in Bombay. I looked around for Roger. He was
sleeping on a distant sofa. So I went to Arin and asked quite
shamelessly, "Excuse me, are you Arin Repeal from South Point? I am
Rain Sen." Arin seemed irritated at first. Maybe such questions were
thrown at him all the time. Then his eyes began to light up. "Hey Rain,
how are you? Where are you?" I felt so embarrassed. Here he was, the
very star of the evening and he was talking to me. However we really
got along well. In fact he was the one who dropped me home that night.
A week later I went to Bombay after convincing my mother that Aunt
Sally in that city had to be visited. Arin called me in Bombay and we
started going out. His detractors, mostly unmarried women have told me
about his various affairs and flings. But I only know that I adore him.
Yesterday he asked me to marry him. And I said YES. I am the happiest
woman in the world. And I thank Roger for it. Had it not been for him I
would never have attended that fashion show and met the man of my
dreams, Arin Repeal.