Colour Combo

Here are two quick pieces that were written back to back in response to ‘Magnolia’ and ‘Elaborate’ (85 and 120 words respectively). A comment by a friend on Facebook about the job she most wished she had was, in part, the inspiration. Well, I guess, someone has to do it…

Interesting fact…Magnolia Home is located in Waco, Texas, less famous for this interior design emporium than events that occurred there in 1993.

Magnolia Home

Magnolia. How our minds work. Mine went straight to a pot of paint. Imagine being a Paint Colour Name Thinker Upper. This season’s Magnolia Home Range includes Watering Can and Webster Avenue. Rainy Days and Garden Trowel.

Another range’s warmer hues include Downy Duckling (I especially like that one)

And then there’s nail polish colours. It’s a Boy! (Blue, obviously) Suzi Without a Paddle.  How about Exotic Birds Do Not Tweet? But even worse is the naming of car models. Don’t even get me started…

and…The Job Interview

Engin Akyurt on Unsplash

‘Perhaps you’d like to elaborate on your previous experience’, the paint technician asked.

‘Well, I came up with our entire Spring range’,  I boasted. ‘Nail polish is an extension of your personality. The colours need creative thinking.’

The paint technician glanced down at his interview notes.

‘I see your creativity ran away with you sometimes. How does Suzi Without a Paddle say pale blue? And why don’t exotic birds tweet? How about Can’t find my Czechbook?’ he looked up and rolled his eyes.

‘I find your colours a little …obscure. Here at Daub Paints we’re a little more conservative. Take Downy Duck, for example. One of my personal favourites. So descriptive. Tells you exactly what’s inside that paint pot.’

Author: Deryn

Born and bred in Manchester UK with a degree in French from the University of Exeter, I found myself in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1995 via Spain, France and Greece. And London. I have worked in the hospitality industry in marketing, as a radio and tv producer, in PR and communications for South Africa's buy local advocacy campaign and since June 2022 have been running my own content creation and PR company, Use Lorem Ipsum. I have always been a reader and writer of stories and am relieved finally to have achieved the publication of this blog. Now for that novel. I am the mother of 2 sons, middle of 3 sisters, owner of a dog and the ex wife and ex girlfriend of a number of men who clearly didn't deserve me. I am an eternal optimist for myself, my country and the planet, so don't let me down, world.