The New Home

Years ago a friend of mine was named the President of a very prestigious California College, and was transported from the East Coast of the US out to the sunny and sometimes very different West Coast.

She moved into her new presidential home provided by the institution, and was duly impressed by her new digs. As in any home, there was work to be done even after the movers were gone and since there were no servants involved in this deal, she had to get herself together and clean the place.

So, fitted out in sweats and a bandana, she got her bucket and rag etc. and got to work spending her first Saturday cleaning. At the end of the long day, her phone rang. It was the wife of the chairman of the board calling, inviting her for a Saturday casual barbeque, California style. Several other college supporters were joining them but it was all quite casual. She explained all the things she had been doing and it was clear that this was impromptu and no fuss was required.

So, she ran upstairs and took a shower and slipped into simple shorts and a top with some white sneakers and drove over to the Chairman’s home.

She was greeted by her hostess wearing a silk dress, quite casually, and was escorted into the main area of the home where a group of supporters had gathered. All of the men were casually decked out in blue blazers with shirts and ties, and the women were casually decked out in very expensive, California casual silk outfits, casually sipping martinis.

Let me end this with the fact that she never went to another event less than fully dressed again!