Themes. They’re everywhere. Not all the time, but often enough.
I notice it the most in movies. Every year it seems there are two movies that
carry the same theme—always released a month or two apart. This year that theme
is blowing up the White House, like they do in Olympus Has Fallen and White
House Down. But remember when the theme was asteroids and meteors in Armageddon
and Deep Impact? Or what about the summer of magic with The Illusionist and The
Prestige?
What I’m saying is, every now and again, you can sum up your
day with one word alone. Today—for me—that one word is Lipstick. Not what you
were expecting? It’s certainly not as dramatic as explosions and heroes flying
out into space. Then again, this is how real life works.
Imagine starting your day with lipstick in your hair. Now, it’s
in your hair because your daughter loves sneaking your lipstick out of your
drawer or purse and stashing it away so she can use it at another time of her
choosing. However, this time she stashed it while watching Ultimate Spiderman
in your bedroom. On your bed. Laying on your pillows. You see where I’m going
with this, right?
I’m a restless sleeper. I toss and turn, flip and kick.
Bunch and re-bunch my pillow. Well, during one of those ‘re-bunching’ episodes,
I must have knocked out the lipstick my daughter stashed in my pillowcase while
she was watching her ‘stories’. And she didn’t leave the cap on it. So…a few
hours later…I wake up with pink smashed in my hair, along with Pepto-Bismol streaks
across my face and pillow.
And that’s the start of my day.
A few hours later, I’m working alone in my bay. I’m reorganizing,
trying to keep myself busy—dying for the coffee break I know is coming any minute.
Finally, I have my wallet in one hand, phone in the other, when up walks a
woman who stops at the lipsticks. She grabs two and swipes them over her hand,
all while I’m cursing my luck and setting down stuff.
“Can I help you find anything?” I ask (I’m sure my voice had
that resigned, slightly annoyed tone to it). I really, really need that coffee.
“Actually, yes,” she says, unaware of my anguish. “I’m
looking for a new lipstick. I want red, pink and orange, but I want it all in
one lipstick. You think you could find that for me?”
Pause. Then blink. My first thought is Oh, screw you…(actually it was the f-bomb, but no need to frighten
people). Luckily, I was smart enough not to verbalize it. Besides, she doesn’t
know my brain is screaming for caffeine and drowning in frustration. She just
wants help finding her lipstick—that’s red, orange and pink all at the same
time. Sigh.
I don't think she realized how utterly ridiculous that statement sounded.
In the end I did find something (which we were out of), and
she left happy. Job well done. Catastrophe averted.
A few hours and a few normal customers later, I get round
three. Up comes Lipstick Lady, the archetype from my very first blog. The one
who’s on an endless hunt for the perfect lipstick. However, this particular breed
has cross-pollinated with the Constant Returner—which caused a mutation that
laced her with traces of the dreaded Energy Vampire.
Good thing I drank that coffee earlier.
All in all, the day wasn’t bad—it was just strange. Strange
because it all revolved around one thing.
Lipstick.
Cheers to you all, and happy shopping.
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