SAUCE OF DISCONTENT
Oil billionaire and once the world's richest private citizen, Jean Paul Getty was famous for his miserliness when it came to his Sutton Place mansion in Surrey. Before the era of mobiles, he even had a pay phone installed for the use of his house guests.
One summer he held a party for his rich friends and business acquaintances who were greatly surprised when, instead of the caviar and champagne they were expecting to be served off silver platters by liveried servants, they were offered do-it-yourself burgers grilled on the BBQ and beer or Coca-Cola to drink.
Since there was nothing else to eat, they set about cooking their burgers, cutting up buns and experimenting with the bottled sauces that were on offer, a new experience for all of them.
One titled lady in a long, flowing white gown bit into her burger and, unused to the dangers, squirted a huge dollop of tomato ketchup all down her front. She screamed and called for help, demanding that Getty have her dress cleaned and pressed before she left, as she refused to be seen in public with stains on her clothes.
Getty reluctantly ordered his butler to lend the lady a bathrobe and take the dress to the dry-cleaners for express service, where he explained the situation to the manager and asked for the return of the perfectly cleaned dress within two hours.
An hour and a half later, the manager had the dress ready and called one of his staff to come and mind the shop while he was out.
"What's so special? I could run an errand for you," said the employee.
"This is important," said his boss. "I've got to deliver the Getty's burger dress."
(Submitted by Leanne Perrins of Worcester)
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