Fruit-cake Special: Perfume Illusion

Let us have a synopsis of the ‘Fruitcake Special’ written by Frank Brennan.

Anna is an average looking girl. She works as a chemist at Amos Cosmetics. One day, in a mood of fancy,she puts a piece of fruit-cake in a perfume mix as an experiment. She is surprised when her boss, Mr. Amos stopped at where she worked and showed a sudden unexpected interest in her. He also invited Anna to have dinner with him that night.

Meanwhile at home, Anna’s mother and Aunt Mimi question her about when she will find a husband and tease her about Armstrong, the boy who used to deliver pizza. Aunt Mimi also has a potential husband candidate for her. Anna ignores them and to deflect their intent, surprises them with the news of her date for the night.

Mr. Amos was a changed man that night when she went to fetch Anna for dinner. At the restaurant, Mr. Amos takes little notice of Anna, and even seems embarrassed that he has actually asked her out, but things rapidly change when Anna applies some more of the new perfume — the fruitcake special when she went to the powder room.

Not only Mr. Amos, but also one of the waiters becomes deeply attracted to her. In the midst of the ensuing chaos, Mr. Amos’s girlfriend, Sabina, arrives, and shortly after, a brawl ensues involving Mr. Amos, Sabina and the love-struck waiter. Anna hastily makes a quick exit and went home.

Anna, diplomatically, takes the next day off work and visits Aunt Mimi to enquire about the fruit-cake she bought. Sadly, her aunt tells her the woman who made the fruit-cake  has died. She also informs Anna that the deceased never had problems finding husbands — seven in total.

On returning to work, Anna is summoned to Mr. Amos’s office. Sabina is also there, and is rude towards Anna. In revenge, Anna pours the remainder of the fruitcake special over Sabina and walks out of her job.

Shortly after this, we learn that Anna has a new job at the factory where they make Intrigue.

One day, she is trying to make fruitcake, when there is a knock at the door. It is Armstrong, who now owns his own pizza company.

Now that he is successful in his own right, he feels he can ask Anna out. Anna then realizes that Armstrong is really a very nice man to be with.    

So, this sounds like another classical all well that ends well finish, don’t you agree?