Thursday, June 30, 2011

Cheap and glossy and underrated

I seem to have neglected writing here lately, in favour of clutterbusting and, well, life. The problem with writing about life is that when life is full, there's little time to write about it. There are other problems too, but they're for other days.

My life has been rich and developing lately. But because the hour is late and the house is hot and muggy, I will merely note that I tried something new yesterday. Something mundane and inconsequential, but I liked it.

I got a cheap pedicure.

I was far from home and needing to make some photocopies, when I found a UPS store in a strip mall. As I stepped out of the car I noticed that I was standing in front of a sign that said, "Pedicures  $20". "Pedicures  $20?" I replied. My polish was chipped, my toes were rough, and I'd been planning to spend an hour or two cleaning up my feet myself, one of these days...

Instead, I found myself stepping inside the cheap nail place, half-expecting, half-hoping, that they'd be booked. Clearly they weren't. Three women were lounging about, idly scanning magazines. One floated forward and glanced at my toes. "Pedicure?" she said. It wasn't so much a question as an assessment. I nodded, she directed me to choose a colour, and someone started to fill a sink.

The aesthetician smiled shyly and spoke little English. She occasionally conversed with her colleagues in another language. I mention this because it made me feel comfortable foregoing conversation. Instead, I used the time to email a friend and a cousin.

She was fast. Lightning fast. I had to rush to wrap up my second email. The polish even dried quicker than a salon pedicure. (Did she skip a base coat?)

Admittedly, the bottoms of my feet aren't quite as smooth as they could be.

But for just 20 minutes and $20 my toenails are glossy, pretty, purple.

And the massaging chair was just what my lower back needed.

I'm hooked.



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