True Colours

Claudette doesn’t mind her humdrum marriage. But what if another man could add a little excitement to her otherwise monotonous life

- JENNY ROBSON

MY HUSBAND, Oscar, has his poker game every Thursday night, regular as clockwork. Sacrosanct! So why shouldn’t I add a little spice and excitement to my week as well? Why shouldn’t I enjoy some glamour and romance? Where’s the harm?

After all, married life post the honeymoon phase tends to become a tad tedious and predictable and routine: tidying the house, cooking meals, paying the bills, keeping the garden under control, climbing into bed together each night, heading off to work at seven-thirty the next morning.

Besides, Oscar will never find out about my Thursday night adventures. I’m careful about that. I don’t want to rock any boats or cause any upset. My life is fine just the way it is, comfortable and solid. I have no wish to change it – just so long as I have my Thursday nights to add that extra va-va-voom.

So I always make sure I’m back home from Lewis Lothar’s apartment well before midnight – well before Oscar returns, sometimes singing at the top of his voice because he’s made a killing. More often, humming some depressing little tune because he’s lost. Again!

He’s never had much success as a gambler, my Oscar. He doesn’t have the required poker face. I suspect that’s part of the problem. He’s always worn his heart on his sleeve.

But that doesn’t stop him. Every Thursday night, just before seven o’clock, there he stands at the front door, wearing his lucky green jersey with the red and yellow stripes.