Member-only story
He made me feel ugly when I was just real.
January 12, 2018
Louisville
Well, I got up, got dressed, and Ubered to Country Boy, the locally owned burger dive I just love. The entire Michael Jackson Thriller album played while I was there. Junior year college, Western Washington University. I remember. I remember. I remember that’s the year I decided I’d never wear makeup again.
I had been late getting to my first class, so I skipped the makeup. I remember it was a rainy day. I had my favorite jeans on and my very cool boots, knee high boots, tan leather boots. I was feeling good, sexy even.
After class, walking through red square, I ran into a fellow I knew, had dated once, now we were friends. We talked for a bit about our classes, our professors, plans for the weekend.
He asked, “Are you feeling OK?”
I said, “Yes, why?”
He said, “You look pale.”
I flushed with embarrassment, which quickly turned to indignation. I suppressed a retort. I probably didn’t have a good one. I was too young to have amassed my now extensive collection of snappy snarky comebacks.
Right then and there I decided. If people see you without make up every day, you look real to them. They don’t think you look pale or tired or sick. But with…
