Ep 1: Bejewelled
The spring morning sunlight filtered through the impeccably clean windows of Sidewalk Tramp, casting faint golden lines on the wooden floor. Michael was already at the front, adjusting the display of watches and sunglasses in the window. Today’s A-board read: “Because You Deserve It.”
“Toby!” Michael called toward the back, where the young store assistant was most likely deep in some fashion blog or experimenting with an overly trendy accessory combo. “Where’s the new shipment of slides? I want to put them in the window.”
Toby appeared from behind a curtain, juggling a dozen pairs of sunglasses in a color palette that could only be described as ‘experimental’.
“Slides? Oh, Michael, we should totally pair them with these outrageous new sunglasses. It’s like...summer vacation meets edgy, urban chic.” He grinned, far too pleased with himself.
Michael sighed, but there was an amused twinkle in his eye. “Toby, not everything needs to be ‘edgy.’ Sometimes, people in this city just want clean & contemporary.”
Before Toby could reply, the bell above the door jingled, and in walked Bernie, the store’s most peculiar customer. Bernie didn’t need an excuse to stop by—he just did, usually to spend far too long looking at everything and buying nothing. He lived, not so conveniently, in the art deco apartment building attached to Trotter's Alley.
“Morning, boys!” Bernie bellowed. “Anything new? I’m looking for something… unusual. Something that screams ‘I’ve arrived, and I’m fabulous.’”
Michael leaned on the counter, already anticipating Bernie’s antics. “We’ve got slides.”
Bernie raised an eyebrow. “Slides? How very pedestrian. Got anything with a little more pizazz? Perhaps… a sparkly jewelled watch that will impress the best of the lads on bingo night?”