Alexandra Cadell

Alexandra Cadell takes her coffee at 8am. Her coffee is served in bed. It has been served to her in bed for the past 20 years, ever since she has been married. She has her own bedroom, her own bathroom, and her own dressing room. She reads and writes and has far more books than there is room on the bookshelves. She speaks with the accent of a well behaved English woman and she corrects her children in their grammar. She does not like the idea of class distinctions but, like many English ladies, she behaves like the Queen; especially in her own home. At dinner parties, her mother will ask the question “What do the French, Italian and English people value most.” The correct answers are, The french like food, the Italians love their families, and the English love their gardens. Since Alex’s mother is seldom wrong, Alex is, therefore, a French, Italian, and English lady. Why she married an American is a mystery to many. She even had American children. Alexandra Cadell presents a contradiction. The first impression of her is not the full story. She drinks her tea at 5pm. When that is finished, she will drink an aperitivo, often inexpensive beer, and again with supper. She leads a simple life of few luxuries. She seems to be happy living back to basics, but she is secretly a hoarder. All her socks do not fit in the sock drawer. Her books do not fit on the bookshelf. Her combs and face creams overflow onto the kitchen counter. And she wears two pairs of glasses at once while many hundreds more pack the top drawer. She does not throw anything away. That’s why I married her. I believe I’m unlikely to be thrown away.