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"Gilda's Coat"

Part 1

Gilda was freezing. It had become really cold. The sun had disappeared and the sky over the city was dark grey. There was an icy wind blowing the last brown leaves off the trees and the air was filled with a very unpleasant mixture of rain and snow. Gilda had just left the stuffy warmth of the subway and now she was walking down Alte Jakobstraße towards the big old house where she had a small flat. She walked fast to get herself as warm and the walk as short as possible. It was already getting dark. Suddenly the wind got stronger and blew directly into her face. She felt the snow getting into her eyes and the cold on her cheeks like a hundred small, sharp knives. With a soft moan of pain she pulled her thin wool jacket even tighter around her body and buried her chin and mouth in her scarf.

Gilda was a small, 20 years old girl with long black hair, dark eyes and light brown skin. Her home was central Brazil, but now she studied in her first year at the University of the Arts in Berlin. In fact, she had prepared very well for the study in the strange European country, or at least she had always thought so. Now she realized that she had totally forgotten one important aspect: the German winter, something she did not know at all in Brazil. Neither was she used to temperatures below 5 °C, nor did she own any clothes to protect herself against them. But now it was too late. Winter had arrived and there were good chances that it would become even colder in the next days, so Gilda was really releaved when she finally reached her heated flat. "I'm so stupid", she tought angryly as she closed the door behind her. "Why didn't I get myself some proper garments for winter?"

The next morning was even worse. Although Gilda had put on her two woolen sweaters under the jacket, high boots and two scarves, she almost immediately started to shiver when she left the house. Lessons began quite early this morning; it was still dark and there was a thick cold fog lying heavily in the streets of the city. There was also a thin layer of snow on the sidewalk, something Gilda had never seen before. She desperately wished to return to her warm bed, but there was no choice. She had to go out in that uncomfortable dark and icy fog.

Finally she arrived at the subway station. Here it was warmer and Gilda's frozen body recovered a bit. There were about twenty other people also waiting on the platform. Most of them just stared at the opposite wall of the tunnel, some were smoking, nobody talked. Those people obviously did not enjoy that morning either, but at least most of them were dressed quite warmly. Suddenly a young woman arrived on the platform who aroused Gilda's interest. In fact, it was not the woman herself making her so interesting, but the jacket she was wearing. It was made of black nylon and it looked very puffy. Obviously it was filled with down. On the front side of the jacket Gilda read the words "The North Face". The woman in the jacket did not seem to be freezing at all, she even looked as if she was quite in a good mood. "That jacket must keep her warm!" Gilda thought jealously. Somehow the puffy garment fascinated her. It did not only seem to be very warm, soft and comfy, it also looked really good, almost sexy! Suddenly Gilda felt the strong desire to wear such a jacket, too...

Part 2

Then the train arrived and everybody headed for the doors. Gilda and the woman in the down jacket got in through the same door. The train was very crowded and there were no seats left, so Gilda had to stand. When she had a look around she saw that there were several other passengers wearing down jackets of different colours and styles. A young girl with a school bag on her back even wore a full-length down coat. Gilda liked that coat, although it was not as puffy as the North Face jacket of the woman next to her. When the train stopped at Potsdamer Platz station, several people got off and some seats became free. Gilda took the chance and quickly sat down on a seat at the window. A second later she heared a swooshing noise and felt soft, puffy nylon on her right arm. The North Face woman had taken the seat directly next to her! The jacket was so puffy that the left sleeve touched Gilda quite intensely. Gilda was stunned. This felt so good, so warm and soft and luxurious that she could not help moving even a bit closer towards the woman, so she could feel the puffy sleeve of the jacket even better. "What a wonderful feeling!" she thought to herself. "Like a big, soft down pillow." Oh, it would be so lovely, being wrapped inside that gorgeous jacket...!

Unfortunately the woman left the train at the next station and a man in a thin fleece jacket took the seat instead of her. When Gilda got off at Zoo station the fog had cleared a bit, but it was still awfully cold. The wind had become stronger again and snow was falling. With a deep sigh Gilda pulled the jacket tight around her shivering body, lifted one of her two scarves up over her nose and hurried towards University. She was late, and when she finally arrived at the lecture room most of her fellow students had already taken their seats. Gilda sat down in the back row and placed her stuff onto the desk. Many of the other students were still half-sleeping, only a few girls in the front rows were chatting softly. Gilda saw that two of them were wearing down jackets. Then suddenly she noticed the tall girl with short, blonde hair sitting four seats left of her. She had never seen her before. The girl was also wearing a down jacket - but what an amazing down jacket! It was dark blue and quite similar to the North Face jacket of the woman in the subway, but it was even much puffier! Obviously it had been massively overfilled. The girl was so bundled up in down, that the upper part of her body looked just like a huge, puffed up nylon ball. She seemed to be sleeping, because her eyes were closed and she did not move. Her mouth and nose were completely buried in the thick, high, fully zipped collar of the jacket. The sight was totally stunning. This jacket was even much more beautiful then the North Face jacket from the subway, and it made the blonde girl look almost like a goddess in Gilda's eyes.

The professor appeared and the lesson began, but the girl did not seem to notice it at all. She was totally lost in the warmth and puffiness of her gorgeous jacket and continued sleeping peacefully. Gilda could hardly take her eyes off her. This down jacket was just a dream! Gilda decided that after the lesson she would ask the girl where she had bought that jacket, because one thing was totally clear to her: she would also get herself a jacket like that, no matter how expensive it might be!

Finally the professor finished his lecture and all students raised from their seats. All students except the girl in the blue down jacket. She remained in her chair sleeping. Because neither the professor nor anyone of the other students seemed to care, Gilda decided to wake her up. She walked to the girl and carefully grabbed her down-covered shoulder. It felt amazing.
"Hey you! Wake up, lesson's over!", Gilda said softly.
"Huh... What's up?", replied a muffled, sleepy voice coming from somewhere deep in the huge down collar.
"Lesson's over! You've slept all the time!"
Now the girl seemed to realize what was the matter and she straightened up with a loud swooshing noise coming from the nylon of her jacket.
"Oh my god!", she said. "How could that happen?"
Gilda smiled. "Perhaps you just felt like still lying in bed in that jacket?"
The girl also smiled. "Yeah, perhaps", she said, slightly embarrassed. "By the way, I'm Lisa. I'm new here."
"Nice to meet you, Lisa. I'm Gilda."
The two girls shook hands and together they left the lecture room and went down in the yard.
"Where are you from?", Lisa asked.
"Brazil", replied Gilda.
"Oh really! But say, aren't you freezing here? I mean, I reckon that you aren't really used to this kind of weather, and you don't even have a proper coat."
"Well, to be honest... I'm almost freezing to death. It's simply horrible! But I just didn't think about buying myself a winter jacket."
"You should get a down coat as soon as possible. Believe me, that's the only way of keeping yourself really warm!"
“Well, there’s something I’d like to ask you. You know, I really love your down jacket. It’s so huge and puffy! It must be very warm and comfortable, isn’t it?”
“Oh yes, it is! It’s just a dream. Glad you like it.”
“Where did you buy it?”
“Well, actually I didn’t buy it at all…”

Part 3

"You didn't buy it? Then where did you get it?"
"Well, my mommy is a tailor. She has specialised on making high quality down gear. See, all those jackets you can buy in shops are mostly not really puffy, probably because the designers think that people are afraid of looking 'bulky' or what ever. But of course there are also many people who love being bundled up in a really warm and puffy down jacket or coat - like me, for example. So mommy has many customers all over the world who have their puffas made by her, and she makes every jacket according to the special wishes of the customer. Of course she uses only high quality nylon and down with the highest fill power available."
Gilda was enthusiastic. "But Lisa, that's a brilliant idea!", she called excitedly. "I also want to get a jacket from your mom! Or even better, a coat!" Lisa smiled. "Of course you can get a nice coat. I suppose that mommy will sell one to you quite cheap. Why don't you come along with me to mommy's shop this afternoon? Then you can tell her what sort of coat you'd like to have, or perhaps she even has one at the shop that you like."
"Oh Lisa, that's really nice of you! I'll meet you at 5 p.m. at the main gate, okay?"
"Yes, okay. See you, Gilda!" With these words Lisa pulled her enormous down collar up to her eyes again and walked away, making soft swooshing noises with every step. Gilda watched her until she disappeared. That jacket really was simply incredible! It was so puffy that Lisa's gloved hands were at least thirty centimetres away from her thighs, although she let her arms hang losely. Gilda was totally exited. She could hardly concentrate on the lessons, because all she could think of was how wonderful it would be being totally wrapped up in a puffy and comforting cocoon made of soft and fluffy 800 fill power down. Her singing teacher shouted at her because today her usually brilliant high soprano voice hardly managed to hit a single proper note, but she did not care. She wanted her down coat, as soon as possible. Finally it was 5 o'clock and Gilda headed for the main gate as fast as she could. The tall, blonde girl was already waiting for her, standing there fully zipped up in her huge puffy jacket.
"Shall we go?", Lisa asked in a down-muffled voice.
"Yes!", anwered Gilda, her teeth chattering.

It was already dark when the two girls walked together to the parking lot, where Lisa had parked her small Opel Corsa. More wet snow had fallen during the day, and the cars splashed cold, dirty water onto the sidewalk as they raced by.
"Oh my god, Gilda, you're shivering like hell!", Lisa shouted suddenly. "That's really terrible! No, Gilda, you need a down coat - and if I say down coat I mean a really puffy one - or you'll die of cold this winter, that's sure!"
Gilda had no doubts that Lisa was right.
Lisa drove to the motorway and the two girls left Berlin. After about an hour they arrived in a small village somewhere north of the capital. Gilda had never been there before. In contrast to the permanent roar of the city it was totally quiet here, only the singing of a bird could be heared somewhere in the dark. Lisa pointed towards a big old house. "That's our home", she said. "Mommy's shop is on the ground floor."

Only now Gilda recognized the small, dimly lit shop window and the white sign reading "Angela Rößner, Tailor. Specialist for High Quality Down Gear". "I think mommy's still downstairs. Let's see!", Lisa said and opened the wooden door, ringing a bunch of small tin bells fixed to the door frame. The two girls entered a small, well-heated shop room. Gilda could see a small, old-fashioned counter. The walls were covered with coat hooks with many, many down jackets and coats in different colours, all looking very expensive and extremely puffy. Unfortunately, Gilda did not have any time to have a closer look at them, because only a second later a fat, brown-haired lady appeared through a door behind the counter. She was perhaps about fifty years old and she had a very kind face with a pair of light blue eyes. She was wearing a dark blue skirt, a striped blouse and - a puffy black down vest! Around her neck and chin she had wrapped a colourful silk scarf.
"Hello, my dear!", she said when she saw Lisa and hugged her, the nylon of her vest swooshing loudly against her daughter's jacket. "Aren't you sleeping in the city tonight?"
"No, not tonight."
"Fine, darling! I'll give you the big, puffy duvet for your bed. It will be cold tonight. How's the new jacket?"
"Oh mommy, it's simply wonderful! So soft and comfy!"
"That's fine!" Lisa's mother smiled. Then she noticed Gilda, standing behind Lisa. "Oh, you've brought a young lady!", she called. "I'm sorry, I didn't notice you at all, miss!"
"Mommy, this is Gilda, a fellow student from the UdK", Lisa explained. Then she added with a smile, "She also likes my jacket."
"Oh, that's nice! Good evening, miss! I'm Mrs Rößner, Lisa's mother."
"Good evening, Mrs Rößner!", said Gilda as they shook hands. "Good to see you!"
"Mommy, the reason why I brought Gilda", Lisa explained, "is that she is very sensitive to cold, but she doesn't own a winter jacket. She would like to have a warm down coat, a very puffy one, like my jacket."
"Oh, poor girl!", Mrs Rößner called pitying. "Going outside in the cold without proper down gear? How terrible! I'll give you a very nice coat, extra warm and puffy, and it won't be expensive for you!"
"That's kind of you!", Gilda said. "You know, I haven't got too much money, but when I saw Lisa's jacket this morning, I immediately knew that I also need such a garment. It's really amazing!"
"Oh yes, it's a very nice jacket, stuffed with 1600 grams of 800 fill power down!", Mrs Rößner explained proudly. "So tell me: what sort of coat do you exactly want?"
Gilda was excited. Now she could describe her absolute dream coat, and she knew that this dream would become reality!
"Well", she said and thought for a moment. Then she started describing. "First, it has to be black. Pitch-black! A bit shiny, but not too much. Made of about the same material like those The North Face jackets." Mrs Rößner listened carefully and took some notes. "OK, I think I have the right nylon fabric", she said.
Gilda continued, "The lining has to be white and very soft. The coat must be as long as possible, so it covers everything but my shoe tips, and I'd like it to be quite tight-fitting, also around my legs. There are two chest pockets and one inside pocket. I want the coat to be closed with one long zipper reaching from the feet up to the top of the collar. The zipper is covered with a nice fat storm flat. Now a very important thing: the collar has to be high, very high! I want it to cover my nose when I've zipped it up, and it must be puffy!" Gilda got more and more into raptures, speaking in a high-pitched voice, her beautiful dark eyes glowing. "Of course, there has to be a hood, a puffy hood with two very high face flaps wich can be closed with velcro. There are drawstrings in the hood, so I can close it so far that there is only a tiny slit left for my eyes. You know, I want my whole body to be bundled up in a huge, puffy down cocoon. Even my face has to be totally masked in down, except for the eyes."
Mrs Rößner was still writing busily, her lips playing with her neck scarf. Finally she put the pencil onto the counter and said, "Miss, this will be a wonderful coat! You have a very good taste! How much down do you want the coat to be filled with?"
"Well, I don't exactly know. But I want the coat to be extremely puffy, at least as puffy as Lisa's jacket."
"Then I'll fill it with 3000 grams of 800 fill power goose down", Mrs Rößner decided.
Lisa who had opened her huge jacket and was standing next to the counter laughed. "Hey, that will be a gigantic coat, a real monster coat! You'll be looking like a huge black down monster, Gilda, but I think it will also look really sexy!"
Mrs Rößner added, "And the feeling of this coat will be really incredible. You'll will feel like in heaven, I can ensure you! But now let me check your body size!"
Gilda took off her jacket and scarves and Mrs Rößner started measuring her body. "Your body is very well-formed, if you allow me to say so!", she remarked. "What a beautiful and large bosom you have! Well, a beautiful coat for a beautiful lady!"

Finally Mrs Rößner had checked everything she needed to start making Gilda's "monster coat". Then she invited Gilda to have dinner with her and Lisa. Gilda accepted the invitation with pleasure. After they had eaten a delicious meal in Mrs Rößner's kitchen, Lisa offered to drive Gilda to the station, so she could take the train back to the city. Mrs Rößner was a bit nervous about letting Gilda go out into the cold. Outside it was snowing again and the small thermometer at the kitchen window showed -4 °C. But Lisa had an idea. "Mommy, why don't we just lend Gilda a down jacket for the time until her coat is ready?"
"That's a good idea, my dear!", Mrs Rößner answered. "I'll go at once and fetch one in Gilda's size." After about five minutes she returned with an enormous orange down jacket which was quite similar to Lisa's, although it was a bit less puffy.
"Here, my girl!" she said to Gilda. "Put this jacket on! It's not as gorgeous as your coat will be, but it will keep you warm a bit."
Gilda took the jacket and put it on. This was the first moment in her life that she wore a down jacket. The feeling was just stunning. "Oooooh!", she moaned when she put her first arm into one of the soft, puffed up sleeves, causing a "swoosh" noise. "So warm, so puffy...!"
Then she zipped the jacket, feeling the comforting warmth, the snug nylon and the gorgeous softness and puffiness of the down cocoon protecting her body. This was the feeling she had searched for so long! Finally she was warm and cosy...!

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