Bonding OTC

I have been purchasing make-up from the same sales clerk for about 10 years now. Queen of Concealer and I always chit-chat as she assists me in picking out the necessities. (I am not allowed to choose unassisted anything that goes on my face. This is a lesson I learned long ago when someone finally told me I was a Spring, not a Fall and to quit with the coral blush.)

It's makeup and since I don't wear oodles of it, I don't often need to freshen my supply, but when I do, I always look for Queen of Concealer as I know she works on commission and she has never lead me astray. (You can't trust these new girls with their high-shine lip gloss and chunky-colored hair. I gotta stick with what I know and who I know.) I also go in twice a year for a little "make over". It's all part of their promotion and I get free goodies, and it gives me a chance to update my stuff and try out new lipsticks that I will never wear and I think the make up lady gets bonus points or something.

We have bonded over the years, to the point that she calls me when they are pre-ordering for "gift" or whenever they are about to discontinue some makeup thingy that I love. Oh, and she always lets me check out at her counter even though I have items other than make-up.

We've been through the highs and lows in life. She has done my make-up for those stressful Christmas parties, even more stressful weddings and even a few times when I just needed to feel pretty and be coddled a bit. She helped me through the discontinuation of Fizzy, the only lipstick I would ever wear. She showed me the light at the end of the tunnel whenever I saw tiny lines around my eyes. Queen of Concealer even helped me correct my rough elbows. She's been there for me, through thick and thin, pale skin and blemishes, tiny eyes and clumpy mascara. She steered me away from "old lady" fragrances and introduced me to their new "more appropriate" scents.

It amazes my mother and Cynical that somehow I have bonded with this lady. And my response is, "Doesn't everyone have a relationship with their make up sales person?"

Last night I had run out of toner and Queen had convinced me that without toner my face would within hours be unrecognizable, so I stopped in to pick up some and of course any other supplies that Queen felt I needed.

The store where she works is closing and they hadn't stocked her counter in some time as they planned to move the operation to a larger store in the mall. She dug through what little was there and came up with everything I needed, tossed in a storehouse of freebies and as we gabbed while she was checking me out, I learned that my dear Queen of Concealer has had a hard time of it. Her mother passed in December, her only son moved away to college, she ended her nine-year relationship with her boyfriend, her car was doing something unexplainable and she hadn't been notified as to the status of her job in relation to the move.

Poor Queen of Concealer. I consoled her as we talked and vowed to write a letter of recommendation. I even stopped at Hallmark looking for a card to let her know how I feel. I couldn't find one that said,

"You've always been there for me
Whatever make-up crisis there may be
Now it's time for me to help you out
Put on some lipstick and show me that pout
Let's put those tough times to bed
Brighten up and put on some red
Nothing can make you look finer
Than a little smoky liner
Don't make me say it louder
Dust off that funk with a little powder
To all of us you mean a lot
Now open, press and gently blot."

Needless to say, I didn't find one, but I am considering a "thinking of you" card instead.