my favorite store (lyn)

Downtown Falmouth is charming.  Beautiful little shops of all kinds.  Cars stopping at crosswalks for pedestrians.  Lots of free parking.  And a nice New England feel.

It’s also where Maxwells is.  About 1,000 square feet of the most perfect casual clothes, for both men and women.  The buyers find things that are just not sold anywhere else.  Beautiful quality.  Interesting designs.  And knowledgeable, stylish employees. 

I’ve been going there for years, and know the owner, the manager, and all the salespeople.  Whenever I visit  Falmouth, I visit Maxwells about as often as I go to the beach.  Which is often.

So my first day here I go to Maxwells.  I get there early and it’s quiet.  Only Doug (the manager) and Betsy (one of the slim, beautiful, salesgirls) are working.  I start browsing and choose a few tops and one skirt to try on.  Last year the skirts I tried on were a size 10  (and if they were too tight, I would not go to a larger size).  The tops I tried on (and bought) were always a size Large.  So today I start with a size 6 skirt and it is just a little too big.  I’m waiting for Besty to notice the new me, but she doesn’t.   When I ask for a size 4 (thinking for sure that this is the perfect opportunity for her to say, “Size 4?  Last year you were a 10, weren't you?” But she doesn’t.  Instead she says, “I’m sorry.  We don’t have any size four’s.”

I then try on a gorgeous, blousy top in Medium, and it’s too big.   I have to ask for a size Small, and still, Betsy doesn’t say a word.  Nor does Doug.  Nor does Judy, the seamstress, when I bring in a skirt to be made smaller from a previous year's purchase.  

I wonder if they are all being polite, or if they really don’t notice.  But it doesn’t matter.  I know that when I look in the full length mirror at Maxwells this year, what I see is a whole lot better than what was there a year ago.