Ahem…
Just incase you ever run into me and I am…
A) …not wearing eyebrows,
B) …wearing eyebrows that have been partially smeared or rubbed off,
C) …wearing eyebrows that are obviously askew and/or the wrong color (i.e. drawn in with pink lipstick or something equally as ridiculous),
Please tell me. Don’t be concerned about sparing my feelings. I won’t be mad. Promise. I’d rather you let me know, than allow me to continue walking around looking like an idiot (in public, no less)!
I mean, really…I have alopecia. I don’t have eyebrows. I’m learning to deal with it. So HELP ME maintain some semblance of facial hair. Even if it is purely cosmetic and serves no purpose other than making me feel “normal”.
Case in point: I went to the mall with my boyfriend and sister on Sunday afternoon. We walked around for almost two hours. However, it wasn’t until I was trying on a sweater at Banana Republic (and caught a glimpse of my face in the changing room mirror) that I noticed – much to my own shock, horror and dismay - my complete lack of eyebrows. Because I almost always carry a backup eyebrow pencil, I was able to rectify the situation right then and there. I’m sure the dressing room attendant didn’t recognize me as I walked out – that’s how much of a difference having eyebrows makes (like Clark Kent’s eyeglasses, but not).
Because I am neurotic, I started a mental slideshow of all the people who had seen me sans eyebrows and/or had given me a funny look. This took several hours, and only added to my I’m-so-embarrassed mental state.
I did not waste any time waiting to confront my before-mentioned boyfriend and sister. I wanted to know (and understand) why they both failed to mention the situation to me, say, earlier. I had already decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. After all, they see me all the time without my eyebrows, so it was possible (unlikely, but possible) that they simply hadn’t noticed.
However, it didn’t take long to ascertain that they HAD BEEN AWARE of my lack of eyebrows. Not only that, but they HAD BEEN AWARE for quite awhile. Both had separately considered telling me, and decided against it. Apparently, they were, “too worried about hurting my feelings”. Instead, they elected to watch me parade around the mall facially naked.
Some friends they are! Boo!
Just so you know, I’m the kind of person that will tell you if you have spinach in your teeth, a giant booger hanging from your left nostril, etc. Any temporary embarrassment that comes with the initial disclosure of something like that is nothing compared to the feeling you get when you discover the infraction on your own…later…and wonder aloud: How long have I been walking around this way? Oh, why didn’t someone just tell me?!
Plus, how awkward is it when you return to the group/table/party WITHOUT the spinach in your teeth or the booger hanging from your nose?! Everyone around you is now thinking something along the lines of, “Does she know WE knew? If she asks, I’ll just say I didn’t even notice. She’ll know I’m lying, though – there’s no way you could ever miss that thing!”
Yet, oddly enough, neither my boyfriend nor my sister (despite the earlier “eyebrow confrontation”) noticed that I had put my eyebrows back ON until well after we left Banana Republic. I like to think that they were blinded by guilt…
6 comments:
Eyebrows don't make the woman, but it is nice to look "normal". I would say "feel normal", but I'm not sure I ever have.
I'm in complete agreement that it's better to tell someone, although you should give people a few seconds to figure it out on their own. Like the lady who came out of the toilet stall with her skirt's hemline tucked into her pantyhose. Make sure she knows before she leaves the bathroom.
I'm a big fan of the "tell" and quite often I give the subtle hand guesture hint, like a swipe at the nose, or a discreet point at the teeth, but in the case of you I might just raise my eyebrows a few times with a knowing look. And I want to see the talent of drawing in an eyebrow, cause I'm better you have the best shaped brows in the world and ugh I'm jealous of that because mine are uneven, and with hair you can't really help that situation without plucking till it's all gone, but then you could come over to my house every morning and draw mine on for me because you would be the official drawerer oner of the brows, which is a coveted talent in hollywood I hear.
Did K-T just say "drawerer oner"? Really? he he.
Aw, Deals. Maybe they didn't realize how self-conscious you were about it, since maybe it's not a big deal to them? Maybe?
If I ever see you in Banana Republic w/o eyebrows, I'll let you know.
We're friends like that.
Well I doubt I'll run into you anytime soon to let you in on the booger in your nose -or your lost eyebrow- but I can somewhat relate, as I once (and so far only once) lost an eyebrow. It's very disconcerting.
Aw! Thanks to all of you "letter knowers" out there. Especially AM because I have a vivid memory of turning to Trevor after the TOO COLD TO HOLD race last year and asking him if my eyebrows were still on. I didn't realize that you were standing right behind him. For weeks I was convinced that you thought I was a freak (which, of course, I am. But you don't judge me because - again - we're friends like that)!
Oh, and Katie, if you ever misplace one of your eyebrows I'll be more than happy to drive to Nebraska? Southern California? to draw it back on for you. :P
Are you kidding? One of my favorite things in the world is to comment on how PIB has drawn her eyebrows on...but when she didn't have any on it was just kinda awkward. I figured that since I was at the mall with no makeup and my pjs that she was just letting her guard down and taking the day off from brows. I was DYING to make fun of her at first...but it was just too easy and I was worried that it might abruptly end our afternoon out. BAHAHAHAHA!
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