Chapter Twenty-Two The In Crowd
‘The Vienna holiday is selling itself,’ says Charlie later the following week as he’s checking our performance to date. I stand behind him as he looks at the booking summary; he’s right, the trip is pretty full.
‘I have a golf club dinner tonight and was hoping to drum up some interest there,’ I tell him. ‘Can you keep a couple of spaces open? I’m there primarily to talk about golfing holidays but I’d like to showcase the range of the Mercury Travel Club too.’
He agrees to keep a couple of the email enquiries on hold until the morning and to tell anyone coming in off the street that it’s at capacity but we’re creating a waiting list just in case of cancellations.
‘I have to be honest and say that I wasn’t sure a dance-based trip would have particularly wide appeal,’ he tells me. ‘But after watching all the social media coverage of your weekend, everyone wants to dance like the lady in red — me included if that Felipe is leading.’
‘I’m going to tell Peter you said that,’ I say, smiling. ‘Your fiancé.’
‘God, how I love hearing that word, but he won’t mind. He loves me and both my left feet.’
‘Which I bet haven’t touched the ground all weekend,’ Josie chips in. ‘Did you make any decisions about the wedding?’
Charlie grins like a naughty schoolboy and tells us that he was trying to be professional but they’ve been talking about it non-stop.
‘The brochure you gave me for the honeymoon was gorgeous — an island in the sun and a glorious sunset as the day ends,’ he says dreamily. ‘And I think we’d like to do something a bit different to the normal registry office affair for the ceremony. Perhaps something glamorous or exotic.’
‘I wouldn’t expect anything less. So is that what you’d like? A wedding on an island?’
‘Maybe, but I’d like you both to be there so that might not be feasible.’
‘We can close the shop for a long weekend,’ I say. ‘Think of all the business it could drum up.’
‘Are you planning to pimp my wedding, Ms Shepherd?’ exclaims Charlie in mock horror.
‘Oh, you know me. I pimp my best friend, my mother’s bucket list and my new boyfriend’s golf buddies — I’m shameless.’ I know the word Josie will pick up on.
‘Boyfriend...’ she repeats. ‘So you’ve actually ditched Michael for David then?’
I tell her that you can’t ditch something that you haven’t actually started.
‘But David’s a go?’ she persists.
I give a little ‘maybe’ shrug and get a whoop in response.
‘Angie and David sitting in a tree — K.I.S.S.I.N.G.,’ sings Josie childishly.
Happily, a customer walks in and stops any further interrogations, so Charlie and I leave Josie holding the fort while we head out to the staff room and continue our assessment of how the year is going. We’re six weeks in and traditionally this period is peak booking time, so we should be doing well and happily we are. I write up our progress on the whiteboard.
‘Long haul has done tremendously well, so I think we should try and capitalise on that to capture more of the market in autumn,’ I say. ‘Perhaps another focus on safaris?’
‘Add in some culture and relaxation too,’ suggests Charlie. ‘Tigers and Taj Mahal, Zebras and Zanzibar — that kind of thing.’
I write that up without having any clue whether those animals live anywhere near to the places mentioned. We both know what he means.
‘Cruises are still huge,’ he adds. ‘But I think we’re so well known for them now we don’t really need to focus on marketing them.’
‘Nevertheless, I’ll ask Patty if her company can offer any additional incentives but overall I think you’re right. What else is big now? How about wellness? Any mileage there? We did all say we’d get fit this year and so far we’ve done absolutely nothing about it.’
‘Only because the military fitness man was fully booked for January — he might have slots available now. We should ask.’
‘I’ll do that,’ I say. ‘And I’ll take a look at the retreat market. Would you fancy going on one?’
‘A holiday of denial? Doesn’t appeal to me.’
‘Enlightenment and spiritual awakening,’ I tell him. ‘Plus there’s the chance to lose a few pounds and have glowing skin before a big day.’
He takes the hint and tells me he’ll look into that one, and as we both leave our meeting to rejoin Josie, I catch him checking out his profile in the shop window and discreetly pulling his tummy in.
* * *
I find myself doing just the same a few hours later when I’m zipping up my dress for the golf club event. It’s their AGM, where they do official things like review the accounts and make their annual list of refurbishments as well as decide on member events. David has managed to get me a slot to talk about the holiday opportunity, so I want to do a good job. Looking my best always boosts my confidence but this dress is just a bit too snug, so I change into something a little more accommodating and instantly relax. I really must get on to that fitness trainer soon.
‘Why don’t you join us in the bar afterwards?’ I say to Patty as she’s helping me fasten a necklace. ‘You can talk me up.’
‘Isn’t it only for members?’ she asks and I tell her not to worry, the bar accepts any lowlife.
‘Obviously,’ is her retort but she adds that she’ll try and get along later.
* * *
I sit outside the committee room feeling like I’m waiting for the headmaster to call me in. Which he does — well, David does — after twenty minutes or so. The whole committee is dressed formally in club ties and blazers. I feel and look like the outsider, but as Patty would say, flaunt your difference.
‘A golf club is about community,’ I begin my rehearsed opening. ‘Like-minded people enjoying their hobby, respecting the traditions and having fun together. This is a place to build friendships that last, and I think a partnership with Mercury Travel could enhance those friendships and create even greater loyalty to your club.’
‘Not that we have any problem with loyalty.’ David laughs, addressing the committee. ‘If anything, we can’t get people to leave.’
He nods towards an elderly gentleman and the rest of the committee join in the obvious in-joke. I smile as if I understand and continue to talk about travel opportunities, visiting courses around the world with activities for non-golfers and, of course, discounts for members of the club. At the end I thank them for their time and get a polite round of applause. David stands to show me out, telling the committee, ‘Angie has a great little business in Mercury and I’m sure we can help each other out.’
Once back in the corridor, David tells me they’ll just finish up and he’ll see me in the bar.
I’m mightily relieved to see Patty in the bar when I walk in, and tell her as much. ‘It felt as if I were intruding into some secret sect.’
‘I suppose it is a bit like that.’ Patty points up at the walls, where rolls of honour and plaques commemorate the great and the good of this club going back to the pre-war days. ‘How was David?’
‘Oh, he was fabulous, supporting me and cracking a couple of jokes to break the ice. Saying I have a great little business and trying to get their support.’
‘Hmm,’ says Patty. ‘Now, what are you having?’
She gets us both tonic waters as it’s a work night and we both drove here. David comes in with a big smile on his face.
‘They liked you,’ he tells me. ‘Are you free to talk to our chairman? He’d like to come and chat.’ He nods at the drink in my hand. ‘You haven’t had too many of them, I hope.’
He says this with a little laugh and I reassure him it’s completely non-alcoholic. He waves an elderly gentleman over and he shakes my hand, thanking me for the presentation. He looks over at Patty as if he’s trying to work out who she is.
‘You may have seen me on stage,’ she tells him as she holds out her hand for him to shake. ‘If you like things a bit saucy, that is.’
The chairman looks slightly bemused and David quickly pulls him and me to one side, leaving Patty standing alone.
‘She’s joking,’ I tell the chairman. ‘She’s my best friend and is part of a wonderful tribute act — they’d go down a storm here.’
‘I doubt that,’ David adds quickly as in the background I hear Patty slurping the end of her drink and hiccoughing. David moves us even further away.
I catch her eye and give her a ‘stop it’ shake of the head. She simply shrugs her innocence in return.
‘I was telling our chairman that you’d probably be able to secure a good deal at Monte Rei — it’s his dream course and we felt it would be a good trip to take for his retirement.’ David looks at me with eyes wide open, indicating that I have to say yes to this.
I nod and say that we can certainly look into it and we have taken golfers to Portugal before. I’m a bit fearful that the club are going to expect more of a discount than we’ll be able to secure but don’t say it.
‘It’s a good job David met you when he did,’ says the chairman. ‘The place needs a fresh set of ideas when I go.’
Patty chooses this moment to interrupt and tap David on the shoulder.
‘If I wanted to play here, would I have to bring my own bat and can you start anywhere on the pitch?’ she asks.
I snort but David looks horrified.
‘Patty is teasing,’ I tell him. ‘She knows full well it’s called a club and you play on a course.’
‘Actually,’ he replies, trying to sound light-hearted, ‘you can’t play at all unless you’re a member — whether you bring your bat, racquet or club. I could put in an application for you, what’s your handicap?’
‘My devastating good looks are often too distracting for those around me,’ says Patty without missing a beat. Even the chairman is amused now, but David looks flummoxed and I have to spare him any further embarrassment.
I take Patty by the arm and tell her I’ll see her back home; happily, she does as I ask so I can get back to discussing some travel bookings.
* * *
When I get home later, Patty is still up, sitting on the sofa with her arms folded. I say nothing but pop upstairs to get changed and when I come back she’s in the same position.
‘I think you terrified poor David,’ I tell her. ‘He’s not used to Patty in full flow. What did you think of him?’
‘Honestly?’ she asks, and my heart sinks a little.
‘Always,’ I reply.
‘I may be wrong,’ she says. Her tone is gentle so I know she’s worried she’s going to hurt me with her next words. ‘But I think he needs you to impress that chairman. And if he’s retiring then maybe David sees himself as the next one.’
‘What’s wrong with that?’ I ask, picturing myself on the arm of the chairman and quite enjoying that image.
‘Nothing if he wants the real you, who has friends like me and a mother who’s barmy,’ says Patty. ‘He looked terrified that we would do something to embarrass him, so I hope he doesn’t just want you for your discounts.’
‘Of course he doesn’t,’ I tell her. ‘It was my idea to present to the club and he’ll get used to my family — I’ll just have to introduce them slowly.’
‘Very slowly. I’d suggest you start with Zoe — the normal one.’ Patty stands, kisses me on the head and heads towards the stairs. ‘Sweet dreams.’