I BETTER WRITE

“Hi Alayne,” the pleasant voice said on the other end of the line. I automatically felt a sense of calm wash over me. Finally, I would be speaking with someone who wanted to hear what I had to say about my business of beauty.

I was being asked to comment on my thoughts about a reopening plan for my type of business- spas, facials, waxing, touch. How did I see it? What were my thoughts? The best part of this conversation was that I was being asked my opinion. This is what I love about my mighty little state, it is so small that it is like one big city. Incestuous at times, but one big small town where everyone knows someone who knows everyone.

And our governor gives a shit.

As I spoke with this lovely and engaging woman, she brought up points of entry I hadn’t considered, like the body fluids that come directly from the face, the lips, the nose, the eyes. I took a deep breath, a little embarrassed for myself and my intense knowledge of my business of beauty, that I had forgotten about the obvious.

When people come to my business for the beautiful services I have offered for over twenty years, they lay on the bed, ready for their first deep breath of the day, maybe even the week. We bring our hands and our hearts to their face and they sigh.

When people lie down on our massage tables, their noses sometimes get stuffy because prone positions can cause this. This stuffiness often requires a tissue. Sometimes their eyes fill up with water because they realize for the first time in a long…