Armani

Know Your Words

Sometimes when Darlene arrived to set up the equine ambulance she would be the first one there.  She liked to be early, tend to a proper set up and then watch the unfolding’s of readying for a Polo match. In her mind it was like a three-ring circus.  One ring was for the horse trailers, grooms and riders.  Another ring was the spectators both in the tents and around the pitch.  The main event ring was of course the almost ten acre playing field known as the “pitch”. It was a synthesis of people and equines that evolved into a moving tapestry.  For Darlene and Mrs. Worthington this was their office-place of work-and place to further their education. (Mrs. Worthington did not just get to wear her small E.A.A. (Equine Ambulance Assistant) vest without some kind of training…..she taste tested carrots, smelled the trailer floor on the regular, slept to model the message of “stay calm”.... During all of the down time Darlene continued to take photos for social media all the while learning and snatching unknown words from pieces of conversations.  Her Word En Garde with Trent was an unexpected perk of the work.

On this day when she saw Trent’s horse trailers pulling in-(He had several Polo Ponies), she noticed he was pulling a single trailer behind his Land Rover. His other ponies were arriving in a large luxurious trailer that held several horses.  Darlene thought it looked like a barn on wheels-or one of those tiny houses people thought would be “fun” to live in.  Darlene thought the Tiny House idea was aversive. One of those bait and switch kind of situations where one sits in the display and imagines a calm, beautiful, peaceful, organized life-and then the real moment of unpacking too many cardboard boxes and feeling like the challenge of where to secure your hairbrush was just too much….Having two friends over would feel like a social experiment in proximity rudeness.  She knew this kind of living would, for her, induce full on social anxiety and she and Mrs. Worthington would be rolling down the road pursuing a return of purchase. She was lost in these thoughts as Trent walked over to her.

“Hey-are you meditating?” he asked.  Darlene came to and replied- “Oh-ha no just was thinking about Tiny house living and how that can go awry for some people….”

“Well-halt your thoughts and come take a look at my newest team member.  He is a stunning, most spectacular, most muscular, most athletic, most beautiful dark dark Bay gelding.  He is going to be a star player especially for ride offs-he has such strength and agility…..annnnnnnd he has arrived from Argentina!”  Darlene knew Polo Ponies from Argentina were highly coveted-deemed the very best.  This was most definitely a coo of a purchase. 

Darlene and Trent walked to the trailer-hearing the horse whinny and stomp.  “Sounds like he is excited to be here-what is his name?” Trent opened the rear door-gently backed the horse out and led him to face Darlene.  He was striking.  He looked like a million dollars.  He looked like a painting.  He snorted and raised his head high above to send a message to all of the beautiful mares.  He was a showstopper-full stop.  “This” Trent said with jubilation and pride in his voice, “is Armani.” 

“Wow,” Darlene whispered….she wasn’t a mare, but still, she was starstruck….. “Hello Herman” she said as she reached to stroke his head-a white blaze slicing down the middle of his face. Trent made a sudden turn of his head-as if to hear better.  “Armani” he said “this is Armani-how did you hear ‘Herman’?  Do you know what Armani means?”

Darlene continued stroking Armani’s face.  “Suits-luxury suits to many-but there is a reason I called him Herman.” Trent instantly knew this was En Garde from Darlene.

He quickly made an excuse that he wanted to step into the trailer to get a brush.  He looked up ‘Armani’-swiftly learning the name was a derivative from German to Italian descent. Herman-Ermanno-Armani.  He stepped out and said “I see you have made a lane change for today’s En Garde to Etymology En Garde. Clever calling him ‘Herman” and brandishing your knowledge, your Royal Darlene.”

Darlene was trying to work out a moniker name based on the initials HEA-but she thought it rather sounded like an old man saying “ehh” so she quietly tucked that away.  No one had any business tarnishing the ‘Armani’ name…..

“It all makes sense, you know…once you know.  ‘Herman’-German word for Army Man or warrior.  Ermanno-the Italian form of Herman-Armani-son of Ermanno’ hence HEA-Herman Ermanno Armani….of course then there is Georgio…he did serve in the Italian Army-got assigned to a hospital where he developed his interest in fashion… He went to med school for a while.  Can you imagine how luxurious doctor’s coats would have been, had he stayed the course? Do tell, Trent, now that you have an ‘Armani’ in your stable, do you also have one in your closet?”

Trent smirked and paused as he took in Darlene’s book report.  She had her lexical ways which did prove to somehow always be enlightening. 

“You know-  Sometimes a man wears an Armani suit because he has more money than raindrops in a torrential storm…and sometimes a man wears an Armani suit when he is being recognized for a remarkable accomplishment or he wears an Armani suit when he is in the trenches making accomplishments-that’s me.  I have an Armani suit in my closet that I wear like armor-whenever we are asked to present for a charity event-I pull the Armani-so yes-one in the closet and now one in the stable!  This Armani is going to make notable accomplishments!”

Darlene looked at Trent and then at Armani who was still standing tall in full warrior position. She thought Herman was out of the question now.  She waved her palm up into the air like a circus ringmaster of ceremonies and said: “Ladies and Gentlemen introducing Herman Ermanno Armani!  Prepare to be impressed by this brilliant equine and his rider.” Then she looked at Trent.  She imagined him in his Armani suit-looking every bit as regal as the gelding standing next to him…..and said: “Actually Trentcoat, Armani suits you both….perfectly!”