The Diplomat--Part Four

The Diplomat-Part Four

Janal Diplomat had been playing with makeup since she was sixteen years old. At least that’s the way it had started. She was no longer “playing” with it. She was considered by the locals to be an expert. In other places she might only have been considered knowledgeable, but this was not other places, it was Conelsonville.

While Conelsonville was not a large city, it was not considered small either by most standards. The population was somewhere between 350 and 400,000 residents, depending on who you were talking to and whether or not they were Conservative or Liberal. The Liberals said there were 400,000; a figure that entitled them to more government grants and subsidies than the 350,000 mark would give them. The conservatives leaned towards 350. Not only would this figure cut down on what they perceived as the governments attempt to control their destiny through giving money and then demanding on having a say in how it would be used, but it tended to give Conelsonville more of a small town feeling; a concept they were desperately trying to hold on to. The Conservatives did not like progress. It eroded their power base. They wanted things to stay the way they were.

In any case, whether you talked to Conservatives or Liberals, when Janal Diplomat’s name was mentioned, there was a general consensus that she knew how to use makeup to enhance someone’s beauty; not just pile on some gook. She knew what she was doing, they said. Even her Pastor approved of her talents. He believed that a woman should look her best as long as it was in good taste. Janal, he believed, helped woman do that. She brought out the best in their features and boosted their self-esteem. He saw nothing wrong with that.

Janal put her talents to good use. She had contacted with both Estee Lauder and Clinique. This was not unusual, but seldom did someone get past the “gatekeeper.” Janal did.

Neither manufacturer would normally have talked to her, much less entertained the idea of helping her go into business, but Janal was convincing over the phone. She managed to get an appointment with the head of Marketing at each of the companies. The thing that convinced them this might be in their best interest was that Janal had gone to each of their parent offices and demonstrated her talents. That had impressed the marketeers at both companies. They also were impressed with the fact that Janal did volunteer work at the local Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities. She made up the residents for nothing. It was her nature to give. If she could make these women’s eyes light up by doing something as simple as making up their faces, she felt as if she was being useful. It was God’s work.

The Marketing Directors were not as impressed by the fact that Janal was willing to give as they were the fact that this might open up new markets for them. The residents of both facilities had daughters and granddaughters. The possibility was that all of them used makeup. If the makeup being used on their mothers or grandmothers was either Clinique's or Estee Lauders’ this might influence the offspring to also use their products. This could translate into bigger sales and a larger number on the bottom line. There might be a potential for bigger profits. That was all that mattered in the end. Big bucks. If the Marketing Directors opened up a new market and made more money for the companies, they got to keep their jobs. The math was simple. 2 + 2 equaled the ability to continue to go to Anoles and eat with “the group” and to continue making payments on the Mercedes. The marketeers were interested

Each company tried to get her to sign an exclusive contract with their firm. Estee Lauder put as much pressure on Janal as they thought they could to sign exclusively with them. Clinique did the same. Janal said no to both. She explained that she had chosen both lines of makeup because they looked natural and were easy to use; if you knew how. She was interested in setting up a shop and she wanted to make both of these products available to women who were interested in bettering their appearance. She would teach the women who wanted to learn how to use the makeup in a way that would help to bring out their natural beauty. She wanted both products because of the differences in women’s skin texture, bone structure, and complexion. She knew from experience that one line of makeup was not right for every woman. She also knew that there were more expensive lines of makeup that would work equally well, if not better, but they were more difficult to use and more expensive. She was trying to make a way for women who wanted to look their best, and were willing to learn how to do it, to have available to them the means to achieve the desired result. That was why she was here. That was why she wanted to carry both lines.

The manufacturers knew that “one size” did not fit all, but they would never admit it. They claimed they had something for everyone. That was what they were supposed to say. That was what they got paid to say. They knew that any objection that they could voice was going to topple in the face of this woman’s reasoning. They just couldn’t make it look too easy. The deal was done, but the motions had to be gone through. The contracts would be signed.

Janal was a skillful negotiator. She had learned the ins and outs of cutting a deal from Joe, her husband. She sat back and waited. She had learned that from Joe too.

Neither company wanted the other to get an exclusionary contract. They knew that the thing that they didn’t want to occur would occur if one of them dropped out. In the end, Janal got contracts from both. Janal was now in business for herself. She was doing something that she loved doing, was good at, and would help a lot of people. She had found her rightful place in society. She was reaching her potential as a person, as a worthwhile human being, and as a Child of God. She was being placed in a position where she was able to give rather than take. She was being fulfilled as a woman.

-2-

Jane was frugal by nature. She had lived so long without having extra money to spend; she really didn’t know what to buy first with the $80,000 dollar settlement she had just “inherited.” That was how she liked to think of the settlement. It was not a bribe to stave her off; she had just come into the money. The only difference was that there was not death involved. She was grateful for that.

As for what she was going to do with the money, she didn’t know. At lot of ideas had passed through her head as fantasies, but she let them go as just that, fantasies. It was fun to daydream about what she would do with the money, but no solid plan had formed that she was fond of. For now, she would just continue to speculate. She had just put it in the bank and let it sit. The only part of it she had spent so far was the fee that she paid Weldon Swaller.

The $250 fee seemed like a lot to her, but she was willing to pay it to Weldon. He had not only gotten her the money, he had also brought to a conclusion something that had haunted her since the accident, how to deal with Brand’s lawyers. Even the worry about a delayed physical reaction to the accident was subsiding. It still might happen, but she would be provided for. That was Weldon’s gift to her and it was worth $250.

One of the first things that she decided to do was to take Ginger to the “Pooches Palace.” It was called that because they treated their Canine friends like “royalty.” “Let your pooch be Queen, or King, for a day.” was their motto. It was a good one. Pet owners were known to spend money on their “children” lavishly. If they thought they were being given special treatment, they would come.

For a long time she had wanted to pamper Ginger, but the money had not been there. Now it was. She was sure that Ginger would baptize the place when she got excited, but she was also sure that this was nothing new to the staff and she was reasonably sure that she wouldn’t have to pay extra for it. Even if she did, she could afford it. She stopped for a minute, startled. She had just surprised herself with her own thinking. “She could afford it.” She would not have thought something like this even a few days before. Her thinking had followed the lines of “I wish I could afford it.” or “It would be nice if I had the extra money to afford it.” not “I can afford it.” It hadn’t taken long for the money to change her thinking. She wondered what was next.

-3-

The next Diplomat BAH was to be held in one week. Jane had been thinking about it. She was excited about it, but she was also dreading it. She still didn’t have what she considered the right clothes to wear to a function like this and she was self conscious about it. She had the money to buy something nice to wear, she just didn’t know how to go about it and what would be appropriate. She saw what the other women were wearing, but she didn’t want to imitate them and she didn’t know what types of clothes were right for her. That had not been part of her education. She had heard that there were certain colors that were supposed to be “your color” and that there were certain styles that were supposed to be “your style”, but she didn’t know how to find out these things and she didn’t trust a salesperson to tell her. She had a suspicion that what might be her style or color might also be what could get the salesperson the highest commission and what had been sitting on the rack the longest. Sales people were sometimes guilty of pushing off on unsuspecting persons items that would earn them a bonus or respect form their fellow goods merchants. Jane might not have had a lot of experience in areas like these, but she wasn’t completely naïve. She had heard a few things in the coffee room at work and had listened to other women who had more experience in things such as this. She might not have been able to shop much, but she was interested, even if it was only to hear about someone else’s experiences. She decided to tell Joe Diplomat about he misgivings. She called him on his cell phone.

-4-

Joe listened patiently to Jane as she told him of her fears and her uneasiness. Joe and Janal, his wife, had managed to raise 3 beautiful daughters without losing any one of them or having them get into major difficulties. He had heard things similar to the ones that Jane was telling him about. He had gone through all of this three times with teenage girls. The only difference between the story Jane was telling him now and what his teenage girls had told him was that Jane was twenty-two where his daughters had been fifteen or sixteen when they had been “ready to die.” He could guess what Jane was feeling and was going through emotionally. Joe made a suggestion. Would it be all right if he introduced Jane to Janal? Janal had been through this before, knew fashion and could help Jane select something that not only would look good on her, but also could be the start of a good wardrobe. Jane could certainly afford it now. Janal agree to Joe’s reasoning. She would be relieved if Joe would introduce her to Janal. The meeting was arranged. Joe would take Jane to Janal’s shop. The shopping spree would take place as soon as Jane and Janal could compare notes and co-ordinate their schedules. They could make a day of it if both could take off. Another change was taking place in Jane’s life.

-5-

Janal slowly looked at Jane’s face. She took her time observing the angles and contours of the forehead, cheekbones and chin. Her trained eye saw everything as parts and as a whole at the same time. It was an artist’s way of looking at things. She liked what she saw. Jane had a natural beauty, just as Joe told Janal. She would not need much makeup to accentuate what was already there. The makeup would enhance, not detract from Jane’s appearance. It would bring out, not cover up. That was the goal of every makeup artist, but it was easier to achieve the desired effect on some women that it was on others. Jane’s face would be one of the easier ones. She would be transformed into someone else. A metamorphosis. With care and some precautions, Jane’s complexion and general skin tone would stay healthy and wholesome for a long time. The only thing that Janal could not prevent would be appearance of wrinkles and lines. That would be determined by heredity and by the diminution of collagen and elastin as Jane grew older and even that could be minimized by some of the solutions, potions and salves that were now available. Jane would look good for a long time. Janal wondered how Jane had managed to be born with such perfect looking skin. She attributed it to genetics and a good upbringing. She was right.

Jane had never really known her biological father. He had left both the home and the marriage when Jane was only four years old. She barely remembered him. When Jane was eight her mother had remarried. The man she married was the only real father that Jane had ever known. He had loved her, help wipe away some of her tears, fixed her toys when they were broken and done what he could to make up for the fact that her real father had other things to do besides raising a daughter.

Her mother and stepfather had never had any children themselves. Jane was the only child in their relationship. They both had loved her. She had taken her good looks from both her natural father and mother, but gotten her disposition and her demeanor from her stepfather and her mother. Jane had always regretted the fact that her stepfather had died when she was seventeen. He never got to see what a good job he had done raising a daughter that one man had thrown away. He would have liked what he saw. Janal did.

Jane’s mother had never remarried after second husband had died. There had been two men in her life and both had left her. That had been enough. She didn’t want a third. The mother had not really become depressed and withdrawn, she had just become resigned to the fact that for some reason she was supposed to be alone. Jane still visited her from time to time and they talked on the phone occasionally, but Jane did not spend a lot of time with her. It was not only depressing, Jane felt helpless in the situation. Her mother continued to go to church, was active to a limited extent in a couple of women’s church groups, and from time to time went out to eat with her Sunday School class, but for the most part, she just stayed at home. She seemed to like the company of her own thoughts rather than the interaction of the living. Jane had tried to get her mother to go out more by taking her to a movie or to a restaurant but the result was that neither of them had a good time. Jane felt the best thing she could do for both of them was to leave the situation alone. She was there for her mother if she needed her, but she was not going to push herself on her. Her mother would have to make the first move.

Janal didn’t know any of this when she first met Jane. It was only after a bond had been formed between the two women that Jane told her. Gradually Jane began to confide in Janal. She needed a mentor and a guide. Jane hoped that she had found one.

Just like it had happened with Joe, Jane had liked Janal immediately. That was a stock reaction to Janal. People liked her when they first met her. She put you at ease, not because she went out of her way to do it, but because she was herself and was comfortable being who she was. That feeling transmitted to other people. They became comfortable too. Janal warmed to the relationship immediately. It was as if she had one more daughter to bring up but without the diapers, the skinned knees, puberty, and the teenage years. Janal was going to love working with Jane. She had the opportunity of seeing Jane unfold little by little until the full-grown woman would appear. Janal was looking forward to seeing her bloom.

-6-

Everyone was happy except Ginger. Joe was happy because he could see that his two favorite women were enjoying themselves in each other’s company. Janal was happy because she was doing what she liked to do best, help someone, and she also had the opportunity to be a mother one more time. Jane was happy because she had started enjoying life and was doing some things that she had always wanted to do. She was also discovering ideas, and events that she wished she had started earlier. Ginger did not care. She did not like this new routine.

Jane had taken up ballet and yoga. Ballet was something she had been fascinated with all of her life. She had only been to a few live performances. Most of her exposure to the music and the dance was seen either in movies or on TV but she was enthralled by it. She never believed that she would ever have the opportunity to immerse herself in that world. She got the opportunity when she found out about Danielle Boschere’s studio and inquired about taking lessons. Normally, Miss Boschere explained, she would never take someone of Jane’s age on as a student. Ballet was an exercise that must be started when one was young. Young muscles were trainable. Older ones were not as teachable. It was a matter of anatomy and physiology.

However, if Miss Plano would realize and agree that she would never really be a Pima Donna, Miss Boschere would consider teaching Miss Plano the basics and allow here to practice at the studio. Would Miss Plano agree? Jane jumped at the chance. She was using her new material wealth wisely. She was fulfilling a life long dream.

She was also taking Yoga classes at the local YMCA. Yoga was in vogue now. Between these two classes and work, time was at a premium. Her schedule typically began at 6:00 AM, the time she rolled out of bed. She worked from 8:00AM until 5:00 PM, a regular workday. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays she had Yoga classes. Tuesdays and Thursdays were her days at the dance studio. She had no trouble sleeping at night.

With this tight of a schedule, she was spending less time at home than she had been. The walks that Jane and Ginger routinely had taken in the evening when Jane had gotten home from work had been curtailed. Jane just didn’t have the time anymore. Besides, it was usually dark when Jane got home and she was tired. It the two did anything at all it was on the weekends. Jane sometimes could squeeze in a jaunt to the park to let Ginger sniff the trees and make a run at a few squirrels, but it was a short one. Jane had a tight schedule. That didn’t help Ginger’s disposition. Ginger was not happy and she had ways of showing it.

The first thing Jane noticed about Ginger’s changing behavior was that she had begun wetting the floor whenever Jane came home. She had never done that before. That action was usually reserved for strangers. This irritated Jane but she didn’t know what she could do about it. She just cleaned it up.

The next thing she noticed was that Ginger had started to chew things. Jane came home one day, walked into her apartment and stepped on something as she walked across the floor. It was one of her house slippers. She wondered what it was doing in the middle of the floor. She was neater than that. When she picked it up, it was damp and had been gnawed. Ginger had been busy. The ruling house pet had found other things to vent her anger and her teeth on. Ginger could be creative. It wasn’t until Jane experienced the crowning jewel of Ginger’s growing neurotic behavior that she decided that no matter how she had to alter her schedule, the walks must resume.

Jane had come home one night after work, a session at the dance studio, and a quick trip to the neighborhood supermarket. She was tired, as usual, and just wanted to sit down, have a strawberry yogurt, take a tub bath, and slip into bed. She was glad that she was tired, and her lessons were going well, but sometimes she wished that she could just take a break and let everything go. She would one day. Jane finished her yogurt and drew the water for her bath. The hot water felt good and she slipped down into the tub deeper. She almost went to sleep.

Just as her eyes were closing for what might have been the last time that night she used her remaining strength to get out of the tub. She realized that if she didn’t make a move now it would be too late and that when she awakened she would be sitting in cold water. Not a pleasant thought. She was ready for bed. She moved towards the bedroom.

The moment her head hit the pillow she sat up and was wide-awake. Her hair was wet and she had laid her head in something that was cold and had an odor to it. She felt the pillow. There was no mistake about it. The pillow was wet. The 20 pound Spaniel had expressed her displeasure and dissatisfaction over the situation in the ultimate way. She had climbed on Jane’s bed, sought out the spot where Jane placed her head at night, and let nature take its course. Ginger had urinated on Jane’s pillow. Jane got the point. The walks would resume. It was either that or give Ginger away and Jane wouldn’t do that. Ginger had been Jane’s confidant, her cuddly toy, her friend, her companion and, at times, her sole emotional support. In return, Jane had ignored her. It wouldn’t happen again.

END OF PART FOUR