A Run on Hose.

Linda M. Bayley is a freelance writer based in Sudbury, Ontario.

Meet Irene, the manager in all but name of Marjorie’s Lingerie. At 60 years old, she’s been here half her life. And she loves it: it’s a good, useful job. In her words, “Wear the wrong panty and you’ll never enjoy that nice new suit.” To her, it’s all about helping other women feel comfortable as they live their lives.

But Irene has not always been comfortable in her own life. When we meet her, she’s been a widow for eighteen years, and still misses dear Henry every day. She loses confidence on a zero-sales day. And she sometimes gets angry with her lifelong best friend, Doreen.

In Irene, Rona Altrows gives us a wise and witty woman who would be welcome in any social gathering. Not all of the stories in this collection are about her, but these were the ones that I enjoyed the most. Whenever I got to the end of one of those stories, I hoped that I would encounter her again, and was glad each time that I did. But in the meantime, I was introduced to other memorable characters: a young woman who wonders what makes men tick, and has a very interesting way of finding out; a nursing home employee who finds herself roped into working on a political campaign; and a surrogate mother who is no longer just a surrogate.

Altrows’ prose is fresh and elegant as she leads us through the lives of all of these women. If you want clear, strong writing, and characters that you can laugh and cry with, buy this book. A Run on Hose is filled with excellent stories, and worth the time.