Thanksgiving, Shop Girls and Eyeliner

One of the biggest surprises to me this year was that I ended up working in retail.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. 

But typically, I don't enjoy waiting on people; I would rather they wait on me.  Its part of the reason I didn't become a nurse.  Selfish, I know.  But I recognize it for what it is. 

Even more surprising to me was that I would come to love the job in retail. 

First off, the store is owned by one of my dearest friends, who is not your typical store owner.   Jim and Carla Froehler own People's Pottery in Pittsford, NY (Google it) and they are one of the reasons I have not lost my mind since I couldn't find a full time job since the wunderkind said he created 10,000 jobs.  

Carla has made "customer service"  a cross between an art form and a religious experience.  She truly cares about who walks into her establishment, and wants us to care as well.   Leading by example, its ok if we spend two minutes or twenty minutes with a customer - all depending on what they want and need. 

The store is a fine gifts gallery and jewelry store - but there is something for any budget if you are looking for quality merchandise.  The door is left open (sometimes to our chagrin) if there is a customer still shopping inside and we are not allowed to tell people we are closed.  Its a brilliant marketing strategy and we have wrung up major sales due to last minute shoppers. 

The girls I work with are a mix of experienced retailers themselves.  Some of them are older and retired from full time jobs, while others use it as a second income.  Very few work full time.  It's a chance to dress up and wear nice clothes, jewelry and have our hair done.  We are more social than anything, and the happy relaxed atmosphere is contagious.   It's hard work, but we flourish.

There's also a few younger ones, of which I suspect she hires to keep US young.  Being on your feet for 6-7 hours a day can wear you out, and if you're not wearing the proper footwear, its torture.  Having someone standing next to you barely breaking a sweat is invigorating. 

These "Shop Girls," as I affectionately refer to them, have become close friends that I know I will continue to correspond with once I leave here and move on.  The Saturday after Black Friday is my last day, and we are already getting melancholic in our approach to each other.  

I can't believe how quickly we bonded.   Its yet another reason to be thankful this Thanksgiving.  For good friends old and new, and the opportunity to make even more. 

I also went to St. Louis to meet a new friend of my sister in law, who quickly and adeptly made me up in the makeup she was selling.  She is a big proponent of not wearing eyeliner, the staple and mainstay of my cosmetic existence. 

Really?  No eyeliner? 

"We are too old" she advised - "it makes our eyes look smaller and squinty, and we need them to look young and open." 

I looked in the mirror after she had done her magic, and I did indeed look younger without the eyeliner.  I always imagined myself to look like Cissy Spacek with those freckles and eyes that had no definition.  She can pull it off, but I never thought I could. 

"Pace yourself" she offered again.  "Its like withdrawal from drugs.  You can't do it cold turkey, you'll end up hating the results." 

I looked in the mirror again and thought about all those years I practiced putting on black eyeliner every morning from the first instance when I was allowed to wear it at 16 years old.  Can you believe how quaint that sounds now?  

Teased hair up to the sky, blue eye shadow and black eyeliner were the uniform of my teenage years, and I swooped out the corners with a flourish.  My mother always commented, even though I knew she liked it.

"You look like Elvira" she smirked.  

I didn't care.  I felt pretty. 

Years past and I did begin to tone it down a bit.  Black went to gray and then brown, or sometimes not at all when babies were calling.  Sleep took the place of a full face of makeup, and eyeliner was usually the only thing I had time for.  My daughter always laughed and said I put on lipstick to go get the mail, and its true.  

Soon I will have to go get ready for work, as this is the last week at the store.  It's Tuesday and I have one more day to work until the Thanksgiving holiday.  I will be working the Black Friday shift and then it will be goodbye shortly after.  I can feel my heart hitch as I write this. 

I don't if I can't give up the eyeliner just yet, even though its the right thing to do. 

But I'm thankful for the gift of good friends, makeup and a house full on Thanksgiving Day.

May you always appreciate what you have, and never miss what you really don't need.