Two of a Kind

I love the woman across the street. Here's why:

1) She speaks English -REALLY well!

2) She is nine months pregnant (ready to burst, actually) and is constantly glowing with the reserved pride of an expectant mommy. Every time I've been to her shop, she waddles over to me, no matter how hot or exhausted she might be, and is always at my side with chipper enthusiasm. I feel guilty every time I see her hoist herself up from her chair just to be at my service...

3) And I love her silk. She runs the fabric shop with her husband and mother. They have thousands upon thousands of yards of silk, with a plethora of gorgeous patterns, and they will make ANYTHING you want. I repeat, ANYTHING. And it will cost you next to nothing. Score.

I got a silk robe made for me a few weeks ago. It's gorgeous. But don't freak out! It only cost me $15. And at home, a silk anything can burn quite the hole in your pocket. However, the robe didn't satisfy me. Like a feen, I wanted more! So I ordered something else, aka, the picture in this blogpost.

Looks pretty original and unique, eh? Yeah, that's what I thought too. After all, I had personally picked out the fabric and style myself. And since the fabric was hidden amongst other more authoritative and vibrant colors, who would've thought someone else would be coppin' my flow?

When I went for my final fitting today, the shirt was quite loose, and didn't fit my bust at all. I just figured she had to take it in more and then I'd be good to go. But as I was standing their with my arms spread like an eagle, this little Vietnamese woman walking around me like I was Frankenstein, the grandmother came downstairs and shoved something in front of my face.

It was the same exact shirt, only a little smaller, and looked about my size.

"Ohhh," said the pregnant lady, slapping her palm against her forehead, "Dis one faw you! Da one you wear is faw bigguh girl den you."

I couldn't believe it! I thought my shirt was one in a million, and here was hard cold evidence that some other girl would be sportin' the same gorgeous top as me. No fair. And how did she know?!

I'm convinced, even though there's no way to prove this, that someone tipped her off. I am, after all, one of the only Americans living in Can Tho...and as in the words of Ron Burgundy from the movie Anchorman, " I don't know if you know this, but I'm kind of a big deal...people know me."