They spent the
rest of the morning shopping. Suit (to
be collected on Saturday), undies, socks, jeans, work shirts. Everything was charged to Luigi’s credit
card. Luigi didn’t care that the shop
assistants immediately assumed that the two of them were lovers. Cody didn’t even notice.
Luigi might permit
Cody to wear Target trunks and shirts but he flatly refused to allow him to buy
Target neckties and so he took Cody to his own favourite clothing shop where he
chose for Cody two silk ties. Which cost
more than the suit and the shirts together.
“Lou …. They’re so
expensive! I can’t afford them.”
“They’re a
gift. You can pay me back for the rest
when you can. But ties maketh the
man. A beautiful Italian silk tie makes
you look like a prince. A nabob. A tycoon.
Somebody to be reckoned with. A
Target tie makes you look like a loser.
A present, Coads. You’ll look so
handsome in them.” His smile was so
beguiling that Cody gave in and accepted.
The last thing on
the list was a new mobile phone. As soon
as it was activated they exchanged numbers.
“I’ve only got one
number in my phone! I’ve lost
everything!” said Cody, and then, in the middle of Bourke St mall, he began to blub,
great racking sobs which shook his body.
“C’mon,” urged
Luigi, putting his arm round Cody’s shoulders, “come, let’s go home,” and he
flagged down a taxi.
