The Personal Shopper

It rained as the cars splashed over puddles of water on Market Street. The crosswalk light had just turned on as crowds of people crossed over. It wasn’t the best condition for shopping as Daniel worked his way up the busy sidewalk towards Macy’s men’s department. “Good morning,” the salesman said. Daniel smiled and nodded his head as he walked into the store. “Let me know if I can help you with anything this morning.” “Thank you.”

It all started as a favor for a friend who needed help finding a wedding gift. “I am heading down that way and can pick up something for you if you like,” Daniel said. “That would be great. Thank you.” It wasn’t long before others needed help and soon Daniel found himself spending most of his time shopping, eventually turning it into a full time job.

It was mid-day as Daniel sat down to lunch in Union Square when a text popped up on his phone. “Hey Daniel, It’s Clark. I wanted to thank you for getting the perfect gift for Susan. Thank You. I know that you’re probably very busy and may or may not have time to take on another client. A friend of Susan’s has been calling us hoping to get your number. He is a good friend and really needs your help shopping. He works non-stop and has little or no time to shop for himself. It would mean a lot to us if you could call him. Please, please! Text: Hey you two, I’m glad Susan liked her gift. What’s his name and number? Text: Thank you. His name is Robert Rutherford and his cell is (415) 691-4582. Hugs.

 Daniel returned to his apartment and needed to just sit after being on his feet all day. He remembered the text from Clark and Susan about their friend Robert.

“Hi. May I speak with Robert? This is Daniel, a friend of Clark and Susan.”

“Hi this is Robert and thank you for calling. I hope that I haven’t disrupted your busy schedule. I have been looking for someone for a while and heard about you from Clark and Susan. They had mentioned that you were in high demand and I would like to hire you as my personal shopper.”

“I usually meet with my clients to get a better understanding of what they need.”

“What is your schedule like this week?” Robert asked.

“My schedule is booked everyday for the next month. The only time I have free would be after five.”

“That is fine with me if you’re free.”

“How about this Wednesday at 6 pm?”

“Wednesday is perfect. Would it be all right to meet at my place?”

“What is your address?”

“I am at 450 Folsom St. #1142.”

“I will see you on Wednesday at 6pm.”

“I look forward to it. Thanks again.”

Late Friday afternoon, Daniel picked up the last order from Tumi and headed back to his apartment. Muni was packed as the evening commute started with only standing room on the train. There were only three more stops before Daniel would get home. It seemed to take forever as the train stopped and more people squeezed in. Daniel was already up against the wall when another passenger squeezed up against him and the door closed. It was bad enough that there was no room to move but to make matters worse; the man behind him was squeezed up against his butt. Daniel could feel the man's bulge between his cheeks. “I’m really sorry,” said the man standing behind him. “What ever you do, for God’s sake, don’t cough,” Daniel said, fearful of being sexually assaulted. The train finally made it to Church Street, the door opened and he frantically walked out the door.

It wasn’t long before he walked into his apartment and dropped all his shopping bags while breathing a sigh of relief. “What a day,” he said to himself as he plopped down on the sofa. His cell phone rang.

“Hi Cindy, what are you up to?”

“It’s Friday and I wondered if you wanted to hang out later.”

“ I literally just walked in the door after being assaulted on the train.”

“What happen?”

“The train was packed with standing room only and I had my hands full with all my shopping bags. I’m standing there minding my own business while the train continued to fill up with everyone squeezing into the car. I was already pressed up against the wall when a man walks in and squeezes up next to me with his crouch up against my butt. I could not move. He apologized for being so close. I asked him to avoid coughing. I didn’t even know his name. It would have been nice to at least have gotten dinner before being filled up like that.”

“Did you get to see his face?”

“Jesus, Joseph, and Mary, Cindy, I was practically assaulted. The last thing I wanted to see was his face.”

“I’m sorry that you had to go through all that.”

“Gee whiz, thanks.”

“I just got off the phone with Clark and Susan. They wanted to know if you want to meet them for dinner at the Slanted Door before going out.”

“Sure. Let me get settled and will meet you guys there.”

“Okay, see you in a bit.”

It was almost seven as Daniel wiped off the mirror in the bathroom when his cell phone rang. “Hi Clark.”

“We just ordered a round of drinks and wondering if your still coming.”

“I’m almost ready and should be there in a few.”

“Okay, bye.”

It was just a little after seven as Daniel entered the restaurant. “Good evening, may I help you?” “I have a few friends waiting for me inside.” “Their name?” “Clark.” “Yes, please come in.”

“Hi guys.”

“We were wondering if you were coming tonight.” Clark said.

“It’s been a very long and busy week. How is everyone doing tonight?”

“Thank God it’s Friday!” Cindy said.

“Robert called to thank us for giving you his number.” Clark said.

“I will be meeting him later this week.”

“He is really a nice guy and hope things work out for you,” Susan said.

“How did you guys meet?”

“Clark’s co-worker and friend Bill knows him.”

“What does he do for a living?”

“He owns an importing company in the East Bay and has been looking for someone to help him with his shopping. His is too busy with work and no time to shop for himself.” Clark said.

“I will meet with him on Wednesday. Thank you for the referral.”

“We should be thanking you for calling him. I think you’ll like him. He’s a lot like you in many ways.” Susan said.

It was another busy week, as Daniel checked off his shopping list for clients. He reached out to confirm his appointment with Robert. Text: Hi Robert. I’m just checking in to confirm Wednesday at 6pm. Text: Thanks for checking in. I will see you on Wednesday.

Daniel’s friends knew him to be very organized in everything he did both for work and home. He carried a messenger bag with almost everything he needed for his daily work. His bag contained a daily planner with his appointments, shopping lists, a measuring tape, a note pad with specific questions of pros and cons for his clients, a chart for body measurements for garments, and a binder filled with product descriptions and price breakdowns.

On Wednesday, Daniel’s appointments were scheduled tightly with little room to spare. His last appointment was at 6pm with Robert. Daniel only had thirty minutes to get from downtown to Robert’s apartment. In order to make it on time, the only option was to take Lyft. It was his first time meeting with Robert and he did not want to be late. Traffic was at its worst with the evening commute. Daniel called for a ride and waited patiently. The Lyft driver finally arrived and Daniel loaded the car with shopping bags. “450 Folsom, please hurry.” It was a quarter to six. “How much further?” “We are just around the corner and should be there in a few minutes. We are here, 450 Folsom.” “Thank you.”

“Hi Robert. It’s Daniel, your 6 o’clock.”

“I’m in 1142, come on up.” Robert buzzed Daniel in.

“Hi Daniel, welcome.”

“It’s nice to meet you.”

“Would you like something to drink?”

“A glass of water would be great.”

“Please have a seat and make yourself at home.”

Daniel placed his messenger bag on the sofa and walked around Robert’s apartment to get a better understanding of his interior style. Seeing his client’s living space helped Daniel create a profile and a better understanding of his client’s tastes.

“How long have you lived in your apartment?” Daniel asked.

“It will be going on five years. I moved from the East Bay. I brought most of my old furniture with me from my apartment,” Robert replied.

Daniel noticed that there was an eclectic collection of furniture. “Would you say that your taste falls toward the contemporary or traditional style?”

“I like modern style furnishings with simple lines,” Robert replied.

“How would you describe your wardrobe?” Daniel asked.

“Comfortable with a classic edge. I work so much that I don’t have much time to shop for anything else. My friends often tease me about my tired clothes. I really need your help to update my wardrobe and then perhaps we could move towards fixing up the apartment. There is so much that I need done that I’m not sure where to start.” Robert said.

“Let’s start with your wardrobe and then we’ll play it by ear when we get better acquainted. I would like to create a profile for you. This will help me select your clothing and anything else that you would need.” Daniel said.

“What are your favorite colors?”

“Blue and grey.”

“Boxers or briefs?”

“Briefs.”

“Low-rise, standard or boxer briefs?”

“Lower-rise.”

“ You’re very thorough.” Robert said blushing.

“I try to find out as much as I can to make sure you get the right fit. Tank tops or regular t-shirt?”

“Tank tops.”

“White or colored?”

“White.”

“What type of socks do you wear? Any color preference?”

“Dress socks, black or grey. Sport socks, ankle length, white or grey.”

“May I take your body measurements?”

“Sure.” Daniel took out the measuring tape. Waist: 29, Neck: 16, Arm length: 27 Chest: 32 Inseam: 31

“Do you like wearing jeans?”

“I have a couple of pairs.”

“Do you like the 501 fitted or the loose classic fit?’

“Loose fit.”

“In terms of dress slacks, do you like a break or no break in the front crease? This will determine your inseam measurements.”

“A break.”

“In terms of dress shirts. Fitted or classic cut?”

“Classic cut.”

“Button down collar or plain.”

“Button down.”

“Do you wear ties?”

“Not unless I have to.”

“Blazer or sport jacket?”

“Blazer.”

“Colors you like?”

“Navy blue, black or dark grey.”

“Colors you hate?”

“Red, pastel tones, and plaid.”

“Do you like wearing hats?”

“Sometimes.”

“What type of hat?”

“Mostly baseball caps.”

“I think I’ve got enough information for now. What is a good time to come by for your fittings?” Daniel asked.

“Anytime after four.” Robert replied.

“May I go through your closet to see what you currently have?”

“Not a problem. Let me show you.”