The new coat

Many years ago, on a first date, the lovely lady of the second part arrived at our rendezvous wearing bright red leather boots and a bright red leather miniskirt.

Although I'm a fairly contained sort of chap, I must have reacted, because after a few moments the lovely lady in question looked me intently in the eye and said: "I can see I'm going to have to be careful with you."

That particular lovely lady has long since taken a path that steers well away from mine, but I still sometimes wonder what she meant. I do know that I never saw her wear the boots or the miniskirt again.

Right now, I have a new, full-length leather coat hanging in my bedroom. It's been there since spring, when I picked it up, not so much at a sale as at a slight relaxation of winter stringency.

It's taking me some nerve to wear it for the first time. I have no fear that people will stare. Maybe the problem is the deep-felt expectation of complete indifference. Then, to get any attention, I will need to look people in the eye and say: "I can see I'm going to have to be careful with you."