Ray felt a hand on his shoulder and looked behind him.
\n\t \u2018What are you drinking?\u2019 asked Mr. Hudson.
\n\t \u2018I just had a coffee while I was waiting.\u2019
\n\t Mr. Hudson addressed the barman. \u2018Sim, another coffee. Large Scotch for me.\u2019 He turned and headed over to a table without inviting Ray to follow. Ray took his coffee in one hand and his briefcase in the other and got up from the bar stool.
\n\t At the table, Ray noticed that Mr. Hudson still had the same distracted look on his face that was there a month earlier in his office.
\n\t \u2018Did you get the information I asked for?\u2019 he asked.
\n\t \u2018Yes, I think so.\u2019 Ray put his briefcase down on the table and took out his iPad. Mr. Hudson looked down at the iPad, then looked away.
\n The barman appeared and placed a large Scotch and a fresh black coffee down on the table.
\n\t \u2018There\u2019s quite a lot to go through,\u2019 Ray continued. He hesitated and looked apologetic, as though waiting for a response.
\n\t \u2018Yes?\u2019
\n\t \u2018Mr. Hudson, do you remember what I said when you came to my office last month? I mean, the advice I gave you?\u2019
\n\t Mr. Hudson sipped his Scotch and looked over Ray\u2019s shoulder as he continued.
\n\t \u2018Mr. Hudson, I\u2019ve been conducting private enquiries for seventeen years and I always advise my clients the same way. The best thing you can do is talk to your wife and find a way through this together.\u2019 Ray waited but no response came. \u2018What is it you think you\u2019re getting from this information? The only way to get peace of mind is to find out for yourself what\u2019s been going on. Inside her head, I mean. It\u2019s never straightforward when it comes to matters of the heart. Emotions and so on.\u2019
\n\t \u2018But I\u2019m not what you\u2019d call an emotional man,\u2019 said Mr. Hudson. He glanced at Ray very briefly before looking down into his glass.
\n \u2018All the same. Would you like to give it some more thought?\u2019
\n\t Mr. Hudson was still looking down and waiting. Despite the troubled look on his face, he did not seem to be in a hurry. Ray glanced over at his immaculate dark grey three-piece pinstripe suit and reflected on everything he had learned while working on this job.
\n\t \u2018OK then.\u2019 Ray put on his reading glasses. He took out his notebook but he did not yet need to look at it. \u2018Well, it seems that, on the face of it, anyway, you were quite correct. Your wife is spending a lot of her time with a young man who\u2019s been visiting her every few days while you\u2019ve been away. I\u2019ve done a bit of digging but I remember you mentioning that you weren\u2019t really interested in finding anything on him. I mean, his name and how he and your wife came to \u2013\u2019
\n\t \u2018I think we can skip those details,\u2019 said Mr. Hudson. He was looking away again, turning his tumbler very slowly and carefully with his fingers as it rested on the table. \u2018Let\u2019s just stick to the information I need, shall we.\u2019
\n\t \u2018Sure, sure. Well, you wanted a physical description.\u2019 Ray began looking through his notebook. \u2018Let me see, now. He\u2019s about six foot and one inch tall, with neatly styled black hair, and probably in his mid-to-late twenties. Quite athletic. Let\u2019s see, what else. Now, you said you wanted to know if he makes her happy. Well, from what I can see, she seems quite happy. She always seems very pleased to see him.\u2019 Ray paused and kept his eyes on the page. He had dreaded going through this bit, and knew he was already making a hash of it. \u2018I think it\u2019s fair to say that she\u2019s very happy when he\u2019s around, at least, that\u2019s my impression from what I\u2019ve seen. Yes.\u2019 Ray nodded to himself and continued looking down at the notebook.
\n\t \u2018Very well,\u2019 said Mr. Hudson. \u2018And the other information I requested?\u2019
\n\t \u2018Yes.\u2019 Ray removed his glasses and put the notebook aside. He logged into his iPad and opened a folder of pictures. \u2018I did manage to get some very good shots, for what it\u2019s worth. I\u2019m just opening them now and I\u2019ll go through them. Are you quite sure you don\u2019t want to \u2013\u2019
\n\t \u2018No no no no no. I said I didn\u2019t want to see them.\u2019
\n\t \u2018Yes, you did say that. That\u2019s quite correct, you did.\u2019
\n\t \u2018I just want the information.\u2019 Mr. Hudson took a longer sip of his Scotch and continued staring into nothing.
\n\t \u2018Alright then, I\u2019ll go through them. I\u2019ve got a whole series of shots of him leaving the house over three separate mornings. Now, I did mention to you in my office that this is definitely not my area of expertise, so I\u2019ve had to do a hell of a lot of research over the past few weeks, and I only hope I can tell you what you need to know. Here goes. On the morning of Friday 25th May, he left the house wearing a charcoal flannel three-piece with a white shirt and a plain red silk tie. The jacket is a button three, roll two, with a high gorge on the lapels. The waistcoat also has lapels, and six buttons with five to button. The trousers have forward pleats, and he wore black slip-on shoes. So that was Friday. Then, on the morning of Saturday 26th, he came out wearing a solid navy two-piece with a white linen pocket square. Five buttons on each cuff. This came with a white shirt and a knitted sky blue tie. And he wore the same black slip-on shoes he had with the first outfit.\u2019
\n\t He glanced up occasionally to see that even though Mr. Hudson was still looking away, he was concentrating on nothing but Ray\u2019s voice.
\n\t \u2018Then,\u2019 Ray continued, \u2018on the morning of Saturday 2nd June, he came out wearing what seems to be a rather sporty-looking black and white puppytooth suit with patch pockets and narrow lapels. With this, he wore a light blue shirt with a black tie of grenadine silk, and this time he had on a pair of brown brogues. With laces, of course. That\u2019s what I have for you so far, Mr. Hudson.\u2019
\n\t Ray put his iPad back down on the table and gently pulled over his fresh cup of coffee and saucer. He decided to wait, and sip, until he had a response.
\n\t \u2018Excellent work, Ray,\u2019 said Mr. Hudson. \u2018Excellent work.\u2019 He began staring at Ray as though studying him. \u2018Is there anything you need from me so you can carry on? I did say I\u2019d cover all of your expenses and so on.\u2019
\n\t \u2018No, I don\u2019t think so. But it might be helpful if I had a better idea of what you\u2019re looking for. This information, I can get it all from surveillance. But does it give you what you\u2019re really looking for?\u2019
\n\t \u2018Yes, I think so. Send me the bill. Are you happy to carry on with this for now?\u2019
\n\t \u2018Well, of course.\u2019
\n\t \u2018Excellent. Give my secretary a call when you have more information. I\u2019ve briefed her to prioritise your calls. She knows you don\u2019t have to make an appointment to see me. OK?\u2019
\n\t \u2018Fine, fine.\u2019
\n \u2018Send me the bill, Ray.\u2019
\n\t Mr. Hudson stood up to leave but Ray didn\u2019t want him to, just yet.
\n\t \u2018I must say, Mr. Hudson, this has been one of the more fascinating jobs I\u2019ve taken on. I\u2019ve learned a great deal about men\u2019s fashion.\u2019 Mr. Hudson stood and waited, but offered no thoughts of his own. \u2018Of course,\u2019 say Ray, \u2018in my line of work, you can get by with questionable taste and a modest budget. As you can see.\u2019
\n\t Ray gestured to his own tatty, off-the-peg grey suit. Mr. Hudson offered a thin smile and picked up his tumbler again.
\n\t \u2018I wouldn\u2019t be so hard on yourself, Ray. Funnily enough, that suit, for all of its faults, is one of the reasons I was happy to hire you. It\u2019s a crime that men don\u2019t wear suits any more. Wearing a suit is part of being a man. I hire men. I don\u2019t work with silly boys.\u2019 He finished his whisky and put the empty glass down on the table. \u2018I never take a man seriously until I see him in a suit.\u2019
\n\t \u2018Well, it\u2019s not often I\u2019m taken seriously in my line of work. Perhaps I should save up for something special and then more people would take me seriously.\u2019 He gestured to Mr. Hudson\u2019s pinstripe suit. \u2018Where were you measured for this, if you don\u2019t mind me asking?\u2019
\n\t \u2018Anderson and Sheppard. Keep up the good work, Ray. In the meantime, send me a bill.\u2019
\n\t Mr. Hudson departed briskly and Ray smiled to himself at the thought of how daft he would have looked in a three-piece pinstripe suit. Totally impractical in his line of work. He had never even tried on a waistcoat in his life.
\n\t On the other hand, he had aged quite a bit in this suit \u2026 he realised he would be turning forty-nine in a few weeks\u2019 time. So perhaps it was time to hang this one up and get something a little sharper and more dignified. Still, there was no hurry.
\n\t As he began putting away his iPad and notebook in his bag, he realised he was desperate for the toilet \u2013 no doubt due to all the coffee \u2013 so he went off to to relieve himself. Afterwards, he washed his hands and dried them under the dryer. Before he left, he looked at himself in the mirror and sensed that he somehow looked different. He fastened the top button of his shirt and straightened his striped tie, then fastened the two buttons of his jacket. Something made him unfastened the bottom button. He realised that the lines of the shoulders were not straight, and that the sleeve heads bunched up when he raised his arms. When he lowered his arms again, he realised that the sleeves were too long. And why on Earth did the trousers seem so baggy?
\n\t He gave it no more thought until late that night, when he stood in front of the full-length mirror on the bedroom wall.
\n\t \u2018What are you doing now?\u2019 asked Laura. She was sitting up in bed, looking over her book at him.
\n\t \u2018I\u2019m trying my suit on,\u2019 he said.
\n\t \u2018Why are you doing that now?\u2019
\n\t \u2018It seems a bit out of shape, don\u2019t you think?\u2019
\n\t \u2018You\u2019ve had that for years. You had it when we met. You wore that at our wedding.\u2019
\n\t \u2018God, did I?\u2019
\n\t \u2018That\u2019s the only suit you\u2019ve had since I\u2019ve known you. And that\u2019s the only tie you\u2019ve had.\u2019
\n\t \u2018God, to think I got married in this old thing.\u2019
\n\t \u2018It wasn\u2019t old then.\u2019
\n\t \u2018What\u2019s happened to me? Is it me or the suit? I reckon I could do with a new one. It\u2019s been long enough.\u2019
\n\t \u2018What you need is a new tie.\u2019
\n\t \u2018What\u2019s the matter this one?\u2019
\n\t \u2018Brown and grey stripes, it\u2019s not very exciting, is it.\u2019
\n\t \u2018I thought they were green.\u2019
\n\t \u2018They\u2019re brown and dark grey. That\u2019s your colour blindness.\u2019
\n\t She was quite right. But Ray\u2019s colour-blindness had never really been a problem until this particular job. This was why he had shown Laura the surveillance photographs before his meeting with Mr. Hudson, so he could write down all of the correct colours in his notebook. After all, Mr. Hudson had demanded precise details.
\n \u2018Do you mean I\u2019ve been wearing this tie for seventeen years and I never knew what the colours were? I thought they were green and \u2026 well, green and dark green.\u2019
\n\t \u2018They\u2019re brown and dark grey. You ought to have something that brings out the colour in that suit.\u2019
\n\t \u2018What colour\u2019s the suit, then?\u2019
\n\t \u2018It\u2019s grey.\u2019
\n\t \u2018OK, well we at least we agree on that.\u2019
\n\t \u2018What\u2019s started all this? Why do you care all of a sudden about what you wear?\u2019
\n\t As Ray explained, his work for Mr. Hudson had given him a brand new perspective on men\u2019s clothes. Besides, there were other reasons to take a deeper interest in this case. As with any decent private detective, Ray was not inclined to take a client\u2019s request at face value. Aside from a natural curiosity that made him ideally suited to his line of work, Ray always liked to know what he was getting into when one of his more enigmatic clients sent him on a baffling assignment such as this. It was for this reason that he had wanted the name of Mr. Hudson\u2019s tailor. <\/p>\n
The visit to Anderson and Sheppard proved worthwhile.
\n The solid navy and the black and white puppytooth were unknown to them, but, as Ray suspected, the charcoal flannel three-piece proved more interesting. He had studied Mr. Hudson\u2019s pinstripe suit carefully during their meeting, and it was only when he went back to the photographs that he saw a similarity with the drape in the young man\u2019s charcoal suit. He later discovered that this kind of drape had been very common in the 1950s and early 1960s but not now. But Anderson and Sheppard, one of the finest English tailors, were able to offer this feature in their bespoke suits.
\n The two gentlemen he spoke with studied his iPad photographs very carefully, and blew them up as much as possible to examine the details.
\n Yes \u2026 oh yes, indeed \u2026
\n Definitely one of ours, sir \u2026
\n No doubt about it \u2026
\n And yet the young man wearing it remained a mystery.
\n A little odd, suggested Ray. After all, this was clearly a very expensive bespoke suit and here it was in recent photographs, worn by a man who, as far as we knew, had never been measured for it. And yet somehow Ray could sense that the real mystery in this case had less to do with the young man he had been observing, and more to do with the marriage he had walked into.
\n Over the next few weeks, Ray continued the surveillance on the house. This was, after all, what Mr. Hudson was paying him for \u2026 doing half a job.
\n But eventually, he became bored and decided he wanted more from the experience. As with any good investigator, he knew how to follow the money \u2026 and, in a case that involved multiple bespoke suits, there was definitely some money to follow.<\/p>\n
Ray glanced down at his watch and then looked over his shoulder to see Mr. Hudson approaching. He did not even need to tap him on the shoulder.
\n\t \u2018Same again?\u2019 he asked.
\n\t \u2018Why not,\u2019 said Ray.
\n\t At their usual table, Ray studied Mr. Hudson\u2019s grey sharkskin jacket and navy tie while they waited for the drinks to be delivered. Then, after a quick sip of his steaming black coffee, Ray put on his reading glasses and logged into his iPad.
\n\t \u2018Have there been any developments?\u2019 asked Mr. Hudson.
\n\t \u2018Just more of the same, I\u2019m afraid. Were you expecting any developments?\u2019
\n\t \u2018No no,\u2019 he said, dismissively, and looked into his Scotch.
\n\t \u2018Once again, I have photos of him leaving the house on three separate mornings.\u2019 Ray opened his notebook. \u2018We\u2019ll start with Friday 22nd June. He came out wearing a mid-blue two-piece suit which I think might be mohair, I couldn\u2019t really tell, to be honest. But he had on a white shirt with a red tie and black slip-on shoes. The jacket is a button two with lapels of average width. Four buttons on each sleeve. Then, on the morning of Saturday 23rd, he left the house in a dark grey three-piece suit which seemed solid at first, but when you blow these up \u2026\u2019 Ray glanced up at Mr. Hudson, knowing that he still refused to look at the pictures. \u2018There\u2019s actually a very subtle check pattern there. I couldn\u2019t tell if the waistcoat has lapels, but the jacket has a clean chest and roped sleeve heads, with slanted pockets and black horn buttons. With this, he had on a light blue shirt, and a black tie with brown and cream stripes. And he wore the usual black slip-on shoes with that one.\u2019 Ray closed the notebook and removed his reading glasses. \u2018Have you thought about what all this might be telling you, Mr. Hudson?\u2019 he asked, innocently.
\n\t Mr. Hudson held his tumbler and looked as though he was considering his response very carefully. \u2018You\u2019ve done another excellent job, Ray.\u2019 He took and sip a waited, but Ray remained silent. \u2018Do go on.\u2019
\n\t \u2018Sure, sure. How shall we go on? I understand that you don\u2019t want to see the pictures. And you don\u2019t want to know anything about this young man. And you don\u2019t want to know about anything I\u2019ve found out.\u2019
\n\t Mr. Hudson turned to him with a look of irritation. \u2018What do you mean?\u2019
\n\t \u2018Well, I\u2019ve taken a lot of pictures and made a lot of notes but anyone can do that. You see, I\u2019m usually paid to find things out. The strange thing about this job is that you don\u2019t want to know what I\u2019ve found out.\u2019
\n\t A thin smile \u2013 the only one he seemed capable of \u2013 appeared on Mr. Hudson\u2019s face. \u2018What did you find out, Ray?\u2019
\n\t \u2018Well, it\u2019s quite clear that all of these suits belong to you. This young man, Ross \u2013 I might as well use his name because I\u2019ve known it for weeks \u2026 he arrives in his own clothes and leaves in one of your suits. He doesn\u2019t bring a suit with him so he must be wearing yours. He works in a shoe shop so he couldn\u2019t possibly afford a bespoke suit. And at least one of them was made by Anderson and Sheppard.\u2019
\n\t Mr. Hudson chuckled to himself and sipped from his glass. \u2018What makes you think they\u2019re mine? How do you know my wife isn\u2019t paying for them?\u2019
\n\t \u2018She listed them on eBay a month ago but removed them. Like me, she\u2019s obviously noticed that you and Ross are the exact same height and build. You must have known she was getting rid of them because she\u2019s been giving them to him and obviously didn\u2019t think you would miss them.\u2019
\n\t Mr. Hudson shrugged. \u2018It was me who told her to get rid of them. I\u2019m never there in any case.\u2019
\n\t \u2018Which brings me back to the mystery of why you\u2019re paying a private enquirer to sit here and describe your own suits to you. As worn by a man having an affair with your wife.\u2019
\n\t Mr. Hudson leaned forward on the table. It seemed an odd gesture for him, and, for the first time in Ray\u2019s eyes, he no longer seemed to exude confidence.
\n\t \u2018I did tell you I\u2019m not an emotional man. But I suppose my wife is what you might call a passionate woman. It was a marriage of convenience. I knew there would come a time when I could no longer give her what she wants. When I got wind of this young man, I was fine with it, I still am. I just wanted you to give me the information I needed.\u2019
\n\t \u2018But the information was all about your suits. You\u2019re more interested in what he\u2019s doing with your suits than what he\u2019s doing with your wife.\u2019 Ray had not wanted to say so much, but the conversation had moved forward quickly, and he couldn\u2019t help it.
\n\t \u2018Actually, it\u2019s more about what I think of him as a man. Any bloody fool can have an affair with a rich woman. But it\u2019s someone really special who knows about style. This is why I don\u2019t want to see the pictures of him, Ray. Because I have an image in my head. He\u2019s me, thirty years ago. And this is why I\u2019m fine with it. Because she\u2019s with a man of substance and he\u2019s making her happy, that\u2019s all that matters to me. If she\u2019d been having a sordid thing with some scruffbag, I\u2019d have crushed him. But I have a lot of time and respect for this young man.\u2019 He finished his Scotch. \u2018You\u2019ve done an excellent job, Ray. But please be assured that all that nonsense you gave me about saving my marriage was not necessary. That\u2019s what all this is about for me. It\u2019s about my marriage continuing, not ending.\u2019
\n\t Ray nodded his understanding. \u2018Yes. Yes, I see.\u2019
\n\t Mr. Hudson winked. \u2018Send me a bill, eh?\u2019
\n\t \u2018Yes, of course.\u2019 Ray put his reading glasses back on and opened the notebook again. \u2018There was just one more thing.\u2019
\n\t \u2018Oh yes. You said three mornings.\u2019
\n\t \u2018Yes, there was the morning of Sunday 24th.\u2019
\n Mr. Hudson chuckled and looked at Ray with anticipation. \u2018And which one did he have on that morning?\u2019
\n\t Ray found the pictures on the iPad and glanced back at the notebook. \u2018This is a black twill two-piece and he wore it with a white shirt and a thin navy tie.\u2019
\n\t \u2018What?\u2019 Mr. Hudson scowled. \u2018What was that?\u2019
\n\t \u2018It\u2019s a black twill two-piece, with a white shirt and a thin navy tie. Which is actually quite consistent with the narrow lapels on the jacket. It\u2019s a button two. The trousers have a very low rise, and again, he\u2019s wearing the black slip-ons.\u2019
\n\t Mr. Hudson was still scowling. \u2018Are you having me on?\u2019
\n\t Ray removed his reading glasses and closed the notebook. \u2018No.\u2019
\n\t \u2018Ray. I\u2019m no mood to be messed around, you know that. Tell me you\u2019re joking.\u2019
\n\t \u2018I\u2019m afraid not, Mr. Hudson.\u2019
\n\t Mr. Hudson looked ready to burst. His eyes looked down at the iPad, then back at Ray. \u2018Give me that fucking thing,\u2019 he snapped, and snatched at the iPad. He looked at it with an expression of horror.
\n\t \u2018You see,\u2019 said Ray \u2018she did buy him one suit. And there it is.\u2019
\n\t \u2018That\u2019s impossible.\u2019
\n\t \u2018I can show you copies of the receipt if you want.\u2019
\n\t \u2018Jesus Christ,\u2019 said Mr. Hudson. \u2018Jesus Christ, look at the fucking creases.\u2019
\n\t \u2018Yes. I understand it\u2019s known as \u201cfashion fit.\u201d A lot of young men are wearing it nowadays. They wear them tight, to show off their muscles. Just as they\u2019d wear a tight T-shirt.\u2019 Ray smiled and sipped his coffee. \u2018It\u2019s a long way from the drape of Anderson and Sheppard, isn\u2019t it.\u2019
\n \u2018God. Oh my God.\u2019 Mr. Hudson appeared to be in shock, and his voice was now a hoarse whisper. \u2018Good God, Ray, what has she done? What in God\u2019s fucking name was she thinking?\u2019
\n \u2018Hmm. It\u2019s not exactly your style, is it?\u2019
\n \u2018It\u2019s black. You don\u2019t wear black suits for anything, except a funeral.\u2019
\n \u2018I see them quite a bit in the city,\u2019 said Ray.
\n \u2018You don\u2019t wear a black suit!\u2019 Mr. Hudson had raised his voice very suddenly, and Ray could sense people looking over. He saw that Mr. Hudson was starting to breathe heavily. \u2018And look \u2026 look at \u2026 Ray, I think I\u2019m going to be sick.\u2019
\n \u2018It\u2019s alright. Just be calm, and breathe slowly.\u2019
\n \u2018That\u2019s a navy tie. Ray, what was she thinking? She ought to know, you never mix black with navy.\u2019
\n \u2018She was probably just buying him what he wanted.\u2019
\n \u2018No.\u2019 Mr. Hudson banged his fist loudly on the table and shouted. \u2018No!\u2019
\n A waiter looked over and Ray made a gesture with his hand to reassure him that he need not intervene.
\n \u2018Ray, I can\u2019t deal with this \u2026 a navy tie is supposed to be the most versatile of all ties. And the one time he wears it, he puts it with black, the one colour it doesn\u2019t go with. Jesus Christ. This is \u2026 this is all wrong. This is \u2026\u2019 He stood up to leave, but leaned forward suddenly. Ray worried that he was having a heart attack so he stood up as well. He tried to put his hand on Mr. Hudson\u2019s shoulder, but he pulled away. \u2018No, don\u2019t. Don\u2019t. Just \u2026 I need to get out, I need some air. I got it all wrong, Ray. She never understood me. She never knew me at all.\u2019
\n \u2018I\u2019m sure it\u2019s not like that. People change, their perspectives change \u2013\u2019
\n \u2018No. It can\u2019t. Not with something like this. Ray, it\u2019s over. It\u2019s time to start divorce proceedings. I\u2019m finished with her. Finished with all of this. I need a clean break.\u2019 Mr. Hudson tried to compose himself, and his breathing began to return to normal. He appeared to think of something, and his eyes widened. Then he glanced down at his navy tie and began pulling it off. He crushed it in his hands and then tossed it down on the table in anger. \u2018Send me a bill.\u2019
\n Ray watched Mr. Hudson walk away, pausing to pay the tab at the bar. He sat back down and slowly gathered his belongings.<\/p>\n
\u2018Well, Happy Birthday, then.\u2019 Ray felt a hand on his shoulder and looked behind him. \u2018What are you drinking?\u2019 asked Mr. Hudson. \u2018I just had a coffee while I was waiting.\u2019 Mr. Hudson addressed the barman. \u2018Sim, another coffee. Large Scotch for me.\u2019 He turned and headed over to a table without inviting Ray to follow. Ray took his […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":248,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":[]},"categories":[352,351],"tags":[355],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\n\t Ray sat down at the breakfast table and opened the soft package very carefully.
\n\t \u2018It\u2019s navy,\u2019 said Laura.
\n\t \u2018If you say so.\u2019
\n\t \u2018Navy goes well with grey so it will be perfect with your suit. That ought to liven things up a bit. I mean, I know you think it\u2019s just a tie. But you\u2019d be amazed what a bit of colour will do.\u2019
\n\t \u2018Thank you. I can\u2019t wait to try it on. You don\u2019t think I need a new suit, then? What about one of those \u201cfashion fit\u201d ones that the young people are wearing? You know, the really tight ones.\u2019
\n\t Laura poured the tea and rolled her eyes. \u2018One step at a time, eh? Let\u2019s get the colours right first, shall we.\u2019
\n\t Ray tied his new navy tie in his usual half Windsor knot and looked at it in the mirror for quite some time. He could already see, despite his colour blindness, the difference it made to his battered suit. Somehow a plain tie made him look more professional.
\n\t When he arrived at his office, he found that a small cardboard box had been delivered. He opened it carefully with a pair of scissors and found a note inside, in addition to a cheque for far more money than he was due.
\n\t The note read: Thanks for all your hard work. You have helped me re-assess my priorities. Take this money and find yourself a good tailor. In the meantime, please accept these as a gift. Best regards, Michael Hudson.<\/em>
\n\t Ray removed a thin sheet of paper and looked into the box. He turned it upside down and tipped the contents onto his desk.
\nYes, it seemed that all twenty-seven of these ties on his desk were probably navy. Twenty-seven ties, all the same colour. Still, he appreciated Mr. Hudson\u2019s generosity.
\n\t Wool, grenadine, shantung \u2026 and others he didn\u2019t even recognise \u2026
\n\t Truly, the variety was mind-boggling. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"