Dear Readers, this Tale is from loooonng ago before I was born, it happened in decade called 'the 80's, and it took place in two cities in America, New York and Chicago.
SHE had a very dear friend who ran a company which made items for the home.. glasses, trays, kettles, flatware.. YOU name it, they did it in great style.
The company was based in New York City and like all manufacturers was always looking to be 'noticed' and bought by good quality speciality stores and small boutiques around the country.
One of the very best Trade Shows for Giftware and or Household Gifts to exhibit your merchandise at is called The Chicago Gift Show, this is held four times per year and it is HUGE..
But when story of Tale happened, the show was much smaller and HER very dear friend was involved in running and promoting show.
He had a wonderful in-house accountant who was from Barbados.. her name was Martha. Her numerical skils were staggering and very flashy fast but she herself was always very quietly and 'soberly' dressed in a grey skirt suit, linen in summer, wool in winter, the same design, with never a hair out of place.
The year that tale happened, SHE was in New York helping get everything ready to be taken to show, passes, information leaflets, etc, etc plus samples of 'stuff', the stock which was to be sold was already in Chicago and being unpacked by another member of the company.
Very dear friend and she left early to go to Chicago, thinking all was well.. this folks was in days gone by when WE didn't have cell or mobile phones.. but apparently all was NOT well.. member of staff in Chicago had eaten something very, very bad and was not in good shape at all..
Oh dear, what to do.. all hands needed on deck.. do sensible thing, so he called New York office and spoke to Martha, asked her to fly up to Chicago, absolutely the most perfect person to have 'manning' one of front entrance desks! He told her where to go and said to ask the taxi driver for the Chicago Gift Fair.. note the last word please Dear Readers..
Day of Show opening.. and the lines are 'round the block' with Trade customers eager to see new designs, get their orders in and to meet their suppliers.
But what is this.. a frisson of excitement and a few whistles are to be heard.. SHE was head down looking at a list of clients when very dear friend says to HER.. "Dearest, look up and see whose a'comin"..
SHE looked up and was struck dumb.. for coming towards HER, in all her Bajan beauty and dressed to kill in Carmen Miranda style.. Boom-Chick-a-Boom.. in high heels, tight skirt, an off-the-shoulder top and hair loose around her shoulders.. was Martha.
Opening day at any show is frantic.. this day was no exception.. they were very busy.. but busiest was company stand where SHE had put Martha to 'very' good use.. male customers flocked to place orders with this Caribbean Beauty whose numerical and selling skills were fast and flashy.
Very dear friend and SHE did their 'stint' on the Welcoming Desk and then hot-footed it to their own stand.. man, it was amaazzing.. all sorts of people were on the stand and in the midst of all this mayhem was OUR gurl Martha, grinning from ear to ear and clutching an extremely fat order book..
When looooonng day was over and they had all retired to 'count' the orders and celebrate a fantastic opening day, they were joined by member of staff now "much better, thank you".
When they were in the bar prior to having dinner, SHE asked Martha what gave her the bright idea to dress in such a style as it was extremely different from her usual mode of dress.. Martha's response was "Well Miss ..., he said it was The Chicago Gift Fair and back home, THIS is how we dress for such an occasion, was it ok?"
Oh yes Martha, it was certainly more than 'OK'.. Boom-Chick-a-Boom.
GeeGee Parrot.
August 15th, 2012.
SHE had a very dear friend who ran a company which made items for the home.. glasses, trays, kettles, flatware.. YOU name it, they did it in great style.
The company was based in New York City and like all manufacturers was always looking to be 'noticed' and bought by good quality speciality stores and small boutiques around the country.
One of the very best Trade Shows for Giftware and or Household Gifts to exhibit your merchandise at is called The Chicago Gift Show, this is held four times per year and it is HUGE..
But when story of Tale happened, the show was much smaller and HER very dear friend was involved in running and promoting show.
He had a wonderful in-house accountant who was from Barbados.. her name was Martha. Her numerical skils were staggering and very flashy fast but she herself was always very quietly and 'soberly' dressed in a grey skirt suit, linen in summer, wool in winter, the same design, with never a hair out of place.
The year that tale happened, SHE was in New York helping get everything ready to be taken to show, passes, information leaflets, etc, etc plus samples of 'stuff', the stock which was to be sold was already in Chicago and being unpacked by another member of the company.
Very dear friend and she left early to go to Chicago, thinking all was well.. this folks was in days gone by when WE didn't have cell or mobile phones.. but apparently all was NOT well.. member of staff in Chicago had eaten something very, very bad and was not in good shape at all..
Oh dear, what to do.. all hands needed on deck.. do sensible thing, so he called New York office and spoke to Martha, asked her to fly up to Chicago, absolutely the most perfect person to have 'manning' one of front entrance desks! He told her where to go and said to ask the taxi driver for the Chicago Gift Fair.. note the last word please Dear Readers..
Day of Show opening.. and the lines are 'round the block' with Trade customers eager to see new designs, get their orders in and to meet their suppliers.
But what is this.. a frisson of excitement and a few whistles are to be heard.. SHE was head down looking at a list of clients when very dear friend says to HER.. "Dearest, look up and see whose a'comin"..
SHE looked up and was struck dumb.. for coming towards HER, in all her Bajan beauty and dressed to kill in Carmen Miranda style.. Boom-Chick-a-Boom.. in high heels, tight skirt, an off-the-shoulder top and hair loose around her shoulders.. was Martha.
Opening day at any show is frantic.. this day was no exception.. they were very busy.. but busiest was company stand where SHE had put Martha to 'very' good use.. male customers flocked to place orders with this Caribbean Beauty whose numerical and selling skills were fast and flashy.
Very dear friend and SHE did their 'stint' on the Welcoming Desk and then hot-footed it to their own stand.. man, it was amaazzing.. all sorts of people were on the stand and in the midst of all this mayhem was OUR gurl Martha, grinning from ear to ear and clutching an extremely fat order book..
When looooonng day was over and they had all retired to 'count' the orders and celebrate a fantastic opening day, they were joined by member of staff now "much better, thank you".
When they were in the bar prior to having dinner, SHE asked Martha what gave her the bright idea to dress in such a style as it was extremely different from her usual mode of dress.. Martha's response was "Well Miss ..., he said it was The Chicago Gift Fair and back home, THIS is how we dress for such an occasion, was it ok?"
Oh yes Martha, it was certainly more than 'OK'.. Boom-Chick-a-Boom.
GeeGee Parrot.
August 15th, 2012.
I like this story. I can believe it, too!
ReplyDeleteJoanna dearest..
ReplyDeleteSHE has jurst has a telephone call from New York City from a very dear friend called Tom Lampson.. He knew very dear friend from this Tale extremely well, in fact, very good friend introduced HER to Tom back in the 80's jurst after this Tale happened.. Tom recognised their mutual friend..
Boom-chick-a-Boom..