Chapter 6

I headed in that direction as an elderly lady, dressed as a princess, taped my elbow and whispered, “That’s a cupboard my dear, the door you are looking for is behind those curtains over there.”

I smiled nervously and thanked her. I pushed on the door that should have had the word ‘PULL’ on it, and closed my eyes as I heard laughter behind me. I didn’t look back but moved into the lavatory area.

With all white tiles, hushed tones, and soft music playing, a heavy, sweet fragrance sat in the air. First impressions, posh, very very bloody posh, too good for the likes of me. My first thought was, in fact almost too nice to be used. I stood there in awe as the door opened behind me and the elderly lady who had helped me, walked in and caught me gawking, literally. My mouth was open.

She smiled as she put her hand on my hip and guided me away from the door. “If you stand there, you’ll get knocked over” she intimated with a smile in her voice. “Your first visit here, is it?” she asked politely. As she went towards the washbasins to wash her hands. I looked around in total amazement.

“Standing in the doorway, with your mouth open will get you one of two things.” she stated “propositioned or knocked down. The cubicles are around there.” She gestured with her elbow. Did I stick out that much? I asked myself. I smiled and thanked her again and found the nearest loo and did what I had to do.

By the time I had returned to the washroom, it was empty. I tidied myself up after washing and drying my hands and re-entered the waiting room. Which was still busy with chatting women, still smoking, and some laughing. It seems this was a social gathering place for us women.

I walked casually back to our table; Paul was sitting there with a smile on his face. I smiled as I approached and he stood up and began to speak, clearing his throat as if to ask for silence but in fact, he was just clearing his throat. “All ok?” He enquired. I smiled back at him thinking, I have just gone to the loo, and you are asking if I’m OK. He held out his hand to me and I took it instinctively. He was acting quite strange from the boy I was used to. I saw him in a different light. He had grown up a little, matured.

As we walked out, he asked if I had enjoyed the meal. “It was a bit on the rich side but ok,” I replied. He then produced two tickets to Wests Theatre to see ‘Love Story’ with Ryan O’Neal and Ali McGraw. Oh, wow I thought sarcastically, a real picture theatre. The theme of the movie ran through my head, nice.

We walked down King William Street to the corner of Hindley Street and turned left towards Wests Theatre. Even though it wasn’t late, it was busy, people were spilling over onto the roadway from the pavement. Cars were crawling along at a snail’s pace; young boys were hanging out of car windows catcalling all the pretty girls walking just as slowly as the cars. People laughing and running between the cars. It felt great to be out on a Saturday night in the city.

The crowd around the theatre blocked the footpath. Men in tuxedoes and women in ball gowns. Ladies in fur stoles and long white gloves up to their elbows. Big cars pulled up to let more people out in all their finery. Cars were honking, and music from open cafés filled the air, adding to the atmosphere. This was indeed a special occasion, the buzz as we got closer, gave me a thrill. My stomach was doing flip-flops and I squeezed Paul’s hand a little tighter, he in turn squeezed it back. It felt special and I felt extra special. I wish I had listened to mum and worn her old wedding dress; it would have fitted in nicely.

As we entered the theatre, with the glass doors opened for us by young men dressed up in a uniform that reminded me of the 1900s, none smiling and gave everyone a curt nod as they entered.

The foyer was large, dome-shaped, with the largest crystal chandelier I had ever seen, hanging from the ceiling 3 flights up. It didn’t have to be large to fit that description as I hadn’t seen many at all to be truthful. But this was so big. The foyer was full of the well-to-do types, all smoking, cigarettes, cigars, pipes. Ladies with cigarette holders eight inches long, straight out of the movies, like Audrey Hepburn in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s many were very much smaller. I giggled, they looked so ridiculous.

I walked with the throng of people towards the doors where the sign said, ‘de lux Royal Reserve’ but Paul squeezed my hand and took me towards the staircase which swept up and around the dome, he leaned down and whispered in my ear “We’re not in the cheap seats Bobbi, nothing but the best for you tonight.” I hugged his arm and squeezed his hand again. This was indeed something special.