Only Once a Year

Nancy a statuesque blonde was one of our switchboard operators. She was friendly and quick to laugh; always ready to help. Because the switchboard was centrally located, I would often use the phones there. She was on duty when I stepped inside to answer a page. When I finished talking, I said, “That’s a nice blouse, Nancy.”

The blouse was black patterned with multiple vibrantly colored geometric shapes.

“What, this old thing?” she snapped.

I was taken aback. I’d never seen Nancy short tempered. I thought it was something that I had said and tried again. “I just meant it was pretty. I didn’t mean anything other than it’s a nice blouse.”

“I’ll tell you what,” she said sharply. “If you think it’s pretty, I’ll give it to you for your wife!”

I was surprised. I guess she took the compliment the wrong way. “It was just a compliment. I don’t want your blouse. I thought it was nice.” I turned and left before she could say any more.

I forgot about the incident until Nancy’s wicked sense of humor came home to roost at Christmas. A few days before the actual holiday, I stopped by the switchboard. She was on duty and said “Wait. I have something for you.”

She reached down, groping inside her carryall. Pulling out a long, thin box covered in bright Christmas paper and a huge red bow, she said, “This is for you. Go ahead. Open it.”

I didn’t think it was unusual. I worked closely with people at the switchboard. It created a bond. I’d buy a small gift for each of them to stick it under their tree. So I initially thought it was a gift because I’d bought one for her.

She repeated, “Go ahead. Open it now.”

I pulled off the ribbon and could see her smiling as I ripped the paper off the flat box. It was about five inches wide and about twenty inches in length. I have ties for all occasions. Patients and staff seemed to like seeing me wear them for holidays and I thought it might be another tie.

It was a tie and what a tie it was. There was Nancy’s blouse, repurposed into a neck tie. It was the blouse I’d told her months ago that looked nice. She’d found someone to redo that blouse sewing it into a neck tie. Shocked and speechless, I held it into place in front of my shirt.

“I told you I was going to give you that blouse.” She looked at the tie I was holding up to my chest and said, “Damn! That blouse looks better as a tie than it ever did as a blouse.”

Nancy has passed away now. I still have the tie. Even before she retired, I’d wear that tie for New Year’s Eve. The necktie looks great against a bright yellow or deep purple shirt; black trousers complete my New Year’s Eve attire when I wear it only once a year. Thank you, Nancy.