Melece's new coat

Melece’s new coat or I have the most wonderful husband in the world.

“I need a coat for my London trip.” “Mom, I really need a new coat, my ankle length down-filled fur-lined hooded coat is too warm for London.” “I would really like a wool look, button up, short length coat with a belt” Melece said Monday night.

I really couldn’t see any way to get her a coat. She would be missing school all day Thursday and Friday and part-day Wednesday; a trip to the mall would take 40 minutes at least each way plus searching time. “I’m sorry Mel you’ll just have to wear one of your warm sweaters under your black coat. Or take the winter coat.” “You have play practice Tuesday till 8pm so we can’t shop after school, I’m really sorry.”

Tuesday night Dean came home with a waist length shiny purple Russian coat with a fur trimmed hood, and a lime green sweater. He had shopped in a little store he passes each day on his walk home from the Tushinskaya metro. Wow, I had never thought of looking there! I knew purple was a color Melece likes though it wasn’t the wool coat she had her heart set on, it was definitely light weight, not cumbersome like her winter coat.

Melece came home and tried them on. Both were too small. We all hopped into the car to make a mad dash to the store before it closed. Wrong move, we can walk to Tushinskaya in 20 minutes. It took 45 minutes in 8pm traffic, oops. Yes, the store was closed. I came along just in case this happened. Now I and Melece knew where the store was. We decided Melece would give up lunch and part of study hall Wednesday to return the coat before she left for the airport at 2pm.

The drive was 8 minutes on a Wednesday morning at 11:45. And they had a black coat that looked exceedingly nice on her. We had Dean’s receipt and his Russian note explaining why we were there returning the purchase he had made the night before. And we found a lovely red ribbon trimmed cardigan to exchange for the sweater. Both were slightly more expensive which made the shop keeper happy. Return trip to school 7 minutes! Yes! I was so very pleased. All thanks to our generous Dean who took a few minutes to select some things for his daughter after an exhausting day at work.