ella (ella kaye)

I work at Hobbs. I love it. I took the job there because I like the atmosphere. Ella Fitzgerald occupies at least a third of the play list. Jazz. I'll never tire of it. And I like the people. I like the other staff and I like the customers. They're mostly businesswomen, 25-45. They can afford to look good. My boss says the cream trousers appeal to people who have Hobbs taste/no taste. Most of the stuff's all right though, elegant. Especially the suits. Sophia jacket and 50s flap pocket trousers, silk linen, light khaki, priced... not worth thinking about.

Sometimes we get customers who stick in my mind for months. There was the Irish woman who kept telling me I was a 'good girl'. The accent sounds Welsh when I do it. And the World's Easiest Customer, who spent £700 in two minutes (two cashmere blend coats, if you're interested). And the woman who would have been the World's Worst Customer if she hadn't been so beautiful. I can understand why somebody might need to try on trousers in two sizes, but three! And in both regular and long. How could she possibly have thought she needed long? She was about five feet two. She made a point about this when trying on a pair of flat shoes.
"Do I look small in these?"
Of course you look small, you're five foot two.
"Small but perfectly formed." I didn't actually say that. I wish I had.

And then there was the woman who was a better-looking version of Andie MacDowell ("Not possible," said my dad.) I wouldn't say I'm a fan of Andie MacDowell, but this woman was sublime. I went to talk to her; to give her 'the personal shopping experience'. She picked out a short bias dress, soft linen, navy, priced... and went to try it on. A few minutes later she came out of the changing room, twirled and leant against the doorframe.
"Well, what do you think?"
"I think you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, and that dress, well, words escape me."

I didn't actually say that. What I really said was, "Yes." Of everything I could have said, I chose yes. It wasn't even an answer to her question.
"All right, I'll take it." She knew she looked good.

At that moment Ella Fitzgerald came on singing 'I Get A Kick Out Of You'. You may see that as significant, but since approximately 100% of the songs she sings are on that kind of theme, I refuse to note it as interesting.

"Ah, Ella Fitzgerald," she said. "The best."
"I couldn't agree more. I was named after her."
"You're an Ella?"
"Yes."
"I'm an Ella as well."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"It's a gorgeous name. I've never met another Ella. I've heard of a couple of younger Ellas, but never an older one, except Ella Fitzgerald, of course. I'm a huge fan. That's why I wanted to work here, they play a disproportionate amount of her music."
"I've noticed. I was named after her as well."
We had a bond.
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"Really?"
"Yes. So tell me, Ella," she paused and savoured the strange sensation of calling somebody else by her own name. "Do you enjoy working here?"
"When I get customers who are as beautiful as you, I do. What are you doing at six o'clock today?" is what I didn't say, settling once again for "Yes." She nodded and that was the end of our conversation. She motioned me towards the till.

As she was about to leave I told her, "A recent survey showed that 80% of the women who shop in Hobbs return. Will you?"
"Yes," she said. And then she left.