The Pink Sari

The Pink Sari

My first husband was Indian and I am English. I was only sixteen when we married. One day he decided to go out shopping to buy me a surprise. He went into Bolton where there were lots of Indian shops. I stayed at home wondering what on earth he was going to bring back.

A few hours later he came home looking very pleased with himself. He handed me a bag and said he had bought me something. Inside was the most beautiful pink material I had ever seen. It had gold leaves all over it and beautiful gold trimming around the edges.

I looked at it and thought it was gorgeous. Then my husband went off to work and left me alone with all this lovely material. I started thinking about what I could do with it. Then I looked towards the bathroom and suddenly I had an idea.

My bathroom window needed new curtains. This beautiful pink and gold material would be perfect. So out came my sewing machine. I measured the window and spread the material out. Then I got my scissors and started cutting.

I spent ages making those curtains. When I had finished I proudly hung them at the bathroom window. I stood back and admired them. They looked beautiful. Pink and gold curtains hanging there like something you would see in a palace.

When my husband came home he went into the bathroom. A few seconds later I heard him shouting. He came looking for me and asked what on earth I had done. I told him I had made some curtains with the lovely material he had bought me.

He looked at me as though I had completely lost my mind. He told me it was not material for curtains. It was a sari and he had bought it for me to wear. I told him I did not know that. I thought he had bought me some beautiful material for the house.

He was not happy at all. He banged about and made plenty of noises. I could not understand why he was making such a fuss. I was English and I did not wear saris. I had never expected him to come home with one for me.

He sulked for about three days. The curtains stayed exactly where they were. In fact I decided that if I was going to have beautiful pink and gold curtains then I might as well make the whole bathroom match.

So I went out and bought pink towels. Then I bought pink toilet paper. My bathroom looked wonderful. Anybody who came to our house and needed the toilet must have thought they were having a wee in Buckingham Palace.

Eventually my husband stopped sulking. He never bought me another sari though. I think he had learned that if he brought beautiful material into our house he had better tell me exactly what I was supposed to do with it.

And those pink and gold curtains stayed proudly hanging in my bathroom. I still say they were the best bloody curtains I ever made.

Even though that sari cost him £100. It is a memory that I never forgot. Also he didn’t either. God he was so angry. Thing is I am me, I am English. I would never have worn it on myself. However I do love the materials they are made in and love them on the Indian ladies we knew back then. I prepared my midi skirts and boots or in the summer hot pants and blouse. I am still into midi skirts but not the hot pants ha ha 😝