Guest Post by Kathleen Weiss
Mazie walked down the hall toward her apartment, still processing the events of a demanding and difficult day advising a graduate student director who insisted on splashing buckets of fake blood all over the set of the play she was directing. The blood stained the painted floor and made a mess of the actors’ costumes. This of course created much unhappiness in the production team who had to deal with the repercussions, and were understandably angry. Mazie mediated, and did so effectively, but it was an exhausting series of interventions. As she reached her door, Mazie saw a bright pink envelope pressed against the door. When she picked it up, she also saw that that that next to her address was a sticker of a bear. The effect was delight.
Mazie felt her spirits lift as she unlocked the door and eased herself and her pink package into the apartment without letting any of the cats escape into the hallway. Mazie greeted the cats and gave each of them a little plate of treats-seafood medley- the cats always got treats when she came home.
Mazie then turned her attention to her package. Inside, whatever was within was nestled in bright pink tissue paper. “Really”, thought Mazie to herself, “There is nothing more enticing than something wrapped in pink tissue paper.” She flashed back to images of many birthdays with lovely presents all wrapped in pink tissue. Taking her time, Mazie released the gift from its fragrant wrapping. Mazie sighed with sheer pleasure for inside was a beautiful silky nightshirt. It was white with blossoms of purple and pink splashed across it. “Oh, this is just lovely”, she said to herself.
Mazie ran herself a bath infused with a generous helping of her favorite peony bath salts. She dried herself with her favorite purple towel, put some vanilla scented lotion on her legs and then slipped into her new nightshirt. It caressed her still slightly damp skin. Mazie admired herself in the bathroom mirror. The picture was appealing. Sexy in a classy way.
Mazie arranged herself in her favorite chair, knowing how appealing she appeared in her new present.” I am going to wait for my lover and this will be a treat for him as well as for me,” she thought. After a few minutes, Mazie faced the first uncomfortable thought since she had entered the apartment. “I actually do not have a lover right now: What a shame, because this is so perfect. “ Mazie allowed herself a few moments of disappointment.
Then she poured herself a glass of chilled Chablis, put on the flower duet by Lakme, and stretched herself out on her sofa. She reached for the novel she has just started, The Witch of Portobello, and sighed with satisfaction. Men are not the only path to contentment. She stroked the silky fabric of the nightshirt. She raised her glass and smiled, in tribute to the dear friend who had sent her such a sweet gift. “Hannah you know me so very well” she sent the message psychically over the miles through the ether to her friend. “Thank you for giving me an evening of pure pleasure.”