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"I've been having a fat day today," Kitty announced cheerfully walking in at the end of the day in the shop with her folder half open. "Got time to look at these?" she said to Phyliss as she cornered her at the end of the table.

She lay out on the table the design folder and opened out a larger than ordinary design sheet. The design was bright: too bright to wear I thought wearily. Pink and orange and lime Green. 1970's socks!

Phyliss dallyed over the design lifting the snips of material and running it across the palm of her hand. "Not sure," she said slowly, "Pink and Orange are done together an awful lot, and Lime Green well yes, and then not sure."
Kitty grinned delighted. "Now try the same design in these materials." She pullled out another larger design sheet and placed it beside the first one. The design looked completely different. The materials were bright, funky patterened ethnic prints.

Phyliss pouted over the materials - picking up one peice and then another - "Cotton?"
"Yes," said Kitty excitedly, "I found them down the old shop near the square."
"Yes, summer weight," said Phyliss softly, "Yeah, ruu up two - stick theml in the window for a few days. It's a bit high street, however I think it will bring in new customers."

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I pulled mine out. Small folder. I don't do extrodinary designs. I knew it was apprentice window this month - I had to put something in. "Here's mine."
Phyliss had a look, "Where's the snatches of materials?"
"I didn't have time to find any." I pointed out, I'd been working 12 hours a day for nearly two weeks, Kitty had been away on holiday.
"Well get off now," Phyliss replied grimly, "Go get some Kitty can take your place here for a bit. She needs to see if we have any materials that she can use. Or she will have to get some..."

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I wandered down to the shop near to the square, the summer afternoon sun was at last flagging. It was getting cold. Inside the shop the manager was putting away bolts of materials. He waved to me.
"Hi," he said, "It's been too long, come in and have a look. Ten minutes left."
I walked around the shop in record time. I decided on a small cotton print. Soft soft ladylike colours. Reminiscent of another era. Then two others in a shot silk. Colours like jewels.

I laid out the bolts on his measuring desk. "Can I have samples?"
He came in fast, pulled out scissors and cut off dainty little squares. "That mate of yours... Kitty?"
"Yes," I said, waiting for the nasty comment.
"Tell her to be really careful. Her inlaws live nearby, married into a ducal family. Funny how the girls have such similiar names... I've heard odd things. Not nice odd things."
"Can you be more explicit?"
"No, wouldn't want to be wrong. Does she accept them as family?"
"No, she was devorced years ago, changed her name and had nothing more to do with them. After this long it would be hard to recognise them given her eyesight issues."
"Yes," he said thoughtfully, "Brought up all her children herself?"
"Yes, all four of them." I told him straight, "Nice people really all of them."
"And she had no more?"
"No. Like me she knew when she'd had enough. Why?"
"Malicious rumour." he said, "Never mind, I'll tell them the truth if I hear it again."
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How odd later as I write this, that it's almost as if someone is dragging over my computer and pinching my work.
Just like a mind reader - the constant pinch, pinch pinch....

I wish I had never met any of them. Where I come from they are illegals. Mosstly the wolves eat them.