In two minds: Vrai ou faux?
“Change is the law of life. Those who look only to the past or the present and not to the future are certain to miss the future” said, John F. Kennedy.
But for Brook, being an avid wildlife enthusiast and a devoted environmentalist, this mantra was especially hard to embrace, mostly because she’d spent the past two years of her life in the jungle, and now she had to move back to civilization. Yes, she lived life vicariously, skydiving, trips around the world but, these past two years had definitely taken the cake. The idea of moving out of her log cabin in the boreal forest in Canada into an apartment in Calgary was just dreadful, but of course her contract was over and her initial awaited departure to civilisation that had faded away over these two years, had sadly come to pass.
In the city, Brook limited herself to her workplace, a bird conservatory and research centre on the edge of her town, and thankfully her large garden. She yearned for the woody textures of her log cabin; the earthiness of it all had come to feel like home, and the plainness of her apartment walls seemed depressingly drab. To take her mind of this, she had the attention of the smooth city slicker, Brad whom she’d met at the coffee shop below her apartment, who seemed to simply adore her, mixed with that of a rugged country dweller, Reid. Reid, who worked alongside her at her conservatory, had a way about himself that seemed pleasing to her. She was in a dilemma over which one to pick as both of them had opposing yet similar qualities, of course, owing to the fact that they were both men.
One afternoon she was invited to an office party, and as she walked into the living room, she was taken aback by the aura in there. It had this homely feel to it. At first, she couldn’t put her finger on it, and then she realized it was the blinds! They were wood blinds, and since the windows took up most of the space on the walls, it added this nice familiar mood to the room. She had to get these blinds. Now, according to the manual, there were two types of blinds – real wood blinds, which like the name are made out of real wood, and faux wood blinds that closely resemble real wood, but are synthetic. Each of them had their pros and cons. And the more she went over them, the more they reminded her of the two potential men in her life.
Her first option was the real wood blinds. Reid reminded her of these real wood blinds. He was a real man through and through; he had traditional values that added this sense of originality to his personality, much like the blinds. He seemed like the kind who’d take a while to make a pick and court that woman for a while before asking for her to be his. Reid had a more rugged manly look that didn’t conform to the contemporary heterosexual mannerisms that most new age modern men paid heed to. The fact that one would opt for wood blinds while trying to achieve the authentic, organic, earthy feel of their rooms was why this was Brook’s first option, the wood blinds and Reid alike.
The faux wood blinds looked like wooden blinds but were made out of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), sometimes mixed with polymers. Also, there were some that had a wooden core or wood chips with polymer material around it, these were called composite shades. Brad reminded her of these faux wood blinds, hopefully, the composite ones that had some element of “real wood” in them. Unlike Reid, who was the more genuine option, Brad had somewhat “evolved” to meet the means of survival in a city. He lacked the traditional outlook on gender roles; he didn’t have well defined do’s and don’ts of dating, though he had his own way of wooing a woman and she was sure he’d been way more successful in the dating world as compared to Reid. Women looking for a modern, say more versatile, responsibility-free dating life would prefer men like Brad, that is, those looking to avoid the hassles of a serious, full-blown relationship.
Which brought her to her next point, the cost; because of its authenticity, real wood blinds were an expensive buy, but once bought, indeed worth it, because of its warm look and authentic feel that which was hard to compete with. Not to mention that the authentic look of real wood is not 100% imitable, so faux wood would never really be able to give the same feel as real wood. She knew that she’d have to invest more of her time and energy into a relationship with Reid, be more committed because this guy was serious stuff. She wasn’t sure if she was willing to commit that much of her life or wallet to Reid and real wood shades seemed like something she’d have to think over before diving into. On the other hand, faux wood blinds were cheaper, because of their chemical compositions, so like her relationship with Brad she wouldn’t have to invest all that much.
When it came to their features, real wood blinds allowed a sophisticated look. But at the same time, the upscale shades were durable and long lasting only if maintained well. This is something Reid and the shades had in common, she knew if she put in the effort, her relationship with Reid would go a long way; it wouldn’t be one of those short-lived flings. Also, real wood shades resist sunlight and extreme temperatures better and provide more insulation and privacy. At the same time, are lighter than faux wood shades hence, easier to handle, needing lesser support, also reducing the daily wear and tear of the shades. The only drawback with wood shades was that it absorbed moisture easily leading to swelling or deformity, hence not recommended for moist areas. She knew her relationship with Reid would withstand adversities; he was the old fashioned kind that believed in working through the storm rather than giving up. He would protect her, wouldn’t bring her any harm, treat her like a princess and wouldn’t expect her to carry his burdens for him, the perfect gentleman, but he would fall hard if led on and let down.
Faux wood shades, on the other hand, were moisture-resistant and were easier to clean. Like Brad, who seemed more street smart and agile, these shades were more flexible. But like the shades that warp under extreme heat, Brook didn’t think Brad would be able to pull through the downs of a serious relationship. Also, faux wood is not recommended for large windows because its weight will not allow such large slats, unlike real wood slats that can be longer. Hence, while opting for faux wood blinds one needs to keep in mind the size constraints, something she hoped, for their sake, neither of them possessed.
All in all, after a long contemplative process, Brooks had made up her mind; she went for authentic, organic, genuine wood blinds, the kind she could best relate to.
