Sunday, March 14, 2010

Smiling at Strangers

This it the title of the book I shall write one day. It will be an outrageous work of fiction, with just enough realism thrown in to make you believe it’s all true. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry. You will be heartbroken to reach the last page, because you’ll want it to go on forever. Really. It’s going to be that good. So don’t steal my title. If you do, karma’s gonna gitcha!

It’s Sunday. And it’s a bit of a weird Sunday for me, but then Sundays have been weird for me for quite a while now. You see, for the last 6 ½ years, Sunday has been the day I walk away from my job as Haus Frau, and for a few hours I am transformed into…Shop Girl. Haus Frau has none of the authority and all of the responsibility. Shop Girl has ALL of the authority and NONE of the responsibility. Strangers listen attentively to Shop Girl. They hang on her every word. She smiles at them. She understands their dilemma. They believe her when she says they will absolutely love the chartreuse pillow that costs $54.00. And no, that doesn’t include the down insert. And yes, three will be needed to achieve ‘the look’. And oh! They will look absolutely fabulous with the rug over there!

Shop Girl is fresh, fashionable and filled with smiling confidence – and she pulls off those sensible shoes with such aplomb. Poor Haus Frau. No one listens to her. People just roll their eyes and shrug their shoulders at Haus Frau. Haus Frau is schlumped and frustrated. She’s poorly groomed and grumpy.

Well, today I am no longer Shop Girl. Today I am simply Haus Frau. I’ve shelved the sensible shoes in order to spend more time on my family and my business. Working Sunday evenings was getting the week off to a rocky start. Hopefully things will run a little smoother now. Hopefully there will be more time for fun…and for grooming. But I sure will miss smiling at all those strangers.

5 comments:

Jeans and a Sweatshirt- said...

I sooo know how that feels. I, too also used to be Shop Girl...not any more. Maybe again...some day...

w said...

maybe you should've just chucked being shop girl and haus frau and just gone for being jack daniels...

also. when strangers smile at me, i give them the throat-cut gesture.

T@PoppyPlacePdx said...

Whatever that book is titled it is going to be a crack up and I will be first in line to buy it.

Don't be too sad to loose shop girl but you have to find a way to put on your "glad rags" (she says sitting at the comp. at 3.30pm in her dressing gown :)

Have a great evening, T.

cabin + cub said...

oh i like that title and illustration! ;)

Absolutely Small said...

I would read that book in a heart beat! Write it, write it, write it!