Editor’s Post by Deborah Hetrick Catanese
“Always look good when you leave the house just in case you run into an old boyfriend!”
Though we all know that standard advice from our mothers is THEORETICALLY true, I can now vouch for the fact that this can happen in actuality! And thank goodness, it was one of those days when I took my Mommy’s advice 😉
I was actually just going to walk the glorious path around the reservoir in Highland Park, one of my favorite spots in my fair city. I could have easily gone up there slumming it and wearing any old workout clothes. But I did not. My hair was fresh, styled, and shiny; my make-up regimen including SPF 15 foundation was applied; and I was wearing a cute, well-fitting athletic skort, the ever-flattering black tank top, and the sexiest, strappy, walking shoes from Jambu that you could imagine! I was even sporting silver hoop earrings and my favorite “goes with everything” necklace that brings me compliments every time I wear it.
It was a glorious day at the reservoir. Every other walker greeted me with a big grin. “Good Afternoon! Isn’t it a beautiful day?” It was so enervating that afterwards I decided to cruise by Whole Foods to buy some healthy food to keep the “feel good” going. Little did I know HOW good…
As I finished up in the produce department, I did indeed catch out of the corner of my eye a tallish, trim, older man turning to look at me as I passed the seafood counter on the way to oils and vinegars. And I even noticed that when he made a comment to the younger man behind the counter who was waiting on him, the young man looked over at me with a smile, too. But like many women do when just trying to accomplish life’s needs, I pretended I didn’t notice. I simply kept on going; he was just another gawking guy.
But, a few seconds later I heard a man’s voice rapidly coming up behind me…”Wait! Wait! Is your name Debby?!” I turned to find myself face to face with that older man, and even with his now grey hair, I instantly recognized my ultimate high school crush, standing there beaming at me. He was as handsome and charming and, yes, flirty as ever! Knowing I looked decently good myself, I had the confidence to observe, “You make a lovely older man, my dear!” It had been over 35 years since we had last laid sparkling eyes and dazzling smiles on each other. And I felt like a teenager again, but only in the sweetest sense of the word.
I don’t have to explain this to you Mamas. I KNOW you get it! Because imagine the difference in this scenario had I gone out of the house that morning sans make-up, wearing some old “shmatteh” (one of the best Yiddish words EVER for worthless, schlumpy clothes that you should have already thrown in the trash bin!) I would have groaned inwardly, berating myself for being caught not looking my best, while slithering away ASAP. Or even worse, he might have glanced at me and said, “OH NO, there is my old girl friend Debby and what a shame…she doesn’t look too hot these days.” Do ya think he would have chased me down THEN?!
But, oh yes, thanks to my Mommy’s sage advice, it was an encounter to remember! He and I both were able to joyfully engage with each other and appreciate looking into the face of a person we always held dear, even many, many years after the fact. Now wasn’t THAT worth the extra 15 minutes of prep time?!
The moral of the story is (OF COURSE!): Listen to your Mama!
So tell me, Mamas, when did your own mother’s advice pay off for you?!
Fashionably yours,
Deborah
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