Conspicuous Consumption

Conspicuous Consumption

                 

                         
                                                                      

Ladies with Arpel penciled eyebrows and husky voices

wrapped in fox and tailored Chanel suits with cameos

and Gucci scarves,

matching Hermes Italian leather bags and shoes.

Furtive flashes of gold

proclaiming the look of Connecticut country clubs

and a summer cottages on the Vineyard

with regatta luncheons punctuated

with peonies and Gibsons.

 

Gentlemen in grey flannel Botany suits

under tan London Fog trenches.

Walking on Bostonian wingtip brogues.

Slicked lush hair bracketed in grey.

Crisp white Brooks Brothers starched shirts,

with an attending aura of English Leather

radiating important business titles befitting

expense account steak lunches

after Tanqueray and Schweppes.

 

Stepping smartly from white

Lincoln Continentals with red leather seats

or sedate navy Buick Roadmasters reeking of chrome

into a flurry of coddling uniformed agents

and muted lyrical loudspeaker pages .

 

Whisked into airport Ambassador Club for

a Phillip Morris cigarette

and perhaps a coffee with Baileys.

A low lidded glance

with quick flourish of the New York Times,

Town and Country, or Vogue magazine.

Seated in modern leather sofas with mustard bouclé chairs

amongst philodendron planters against walnut walls appliqued with golden logos.

While the ceiling wafts forth Miles Davis,

Percy Faith, or Montovani.

 

Awaiting a call

For TWA flight 5;

Super Constellation service

direct from Idlewild to Bombay.

 

Important people, Important things, and Important places to go

In an era heralding rebirth of conspicuous consumption

bringing glamour to a post war starved population

wanton to spend and impress with purchased facades.

Signs of a time;

and a total wonderment

to a 12 year old boy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                              
  -Jerry Wendt ©2008