Makeup Artist

Image by Carolyn Booth from Pixabay 

Karol had chosen her profession carefully. Painfully shy, she had never been comfortable talking with others. The one area of life in which she felt confident was in how she presented physically to the world.

She loved makeup, clothing, and shoes. Even if Karol couldn’t approach and speak with people, they would see her looking good. She knew she could do the same for others, but that would require talking to them.

After Karol’s father’s funeral, shortly before she graduated from high school, she found her solution. Karol become a makeup artist to the dead. Her fame grew as her work eclipsed that of her colleagues. Her boss’s son, Ron, asked her to teach him her technique. Love blossomed and Karol married him.

One of the local colleges approached her to teach a class. Terrified, Karol refused. She couldn’t stand in front of a classroom of students. Just thinking about it made her hyperventilate.

Ron helped her calm down, then said, “This is a fantastic opportunity for you, Karol. You need to share your talent with others.”

“I can’t. You know I can’t,” Karol answered through tears.

“What if you pretended the students were dead?”

“What?” Karol laughed despite her fear.

“Well, you know how they tell speakers to picture their audience naked to feel braver,” Ron began.

“Yes, but that’s never worked for me.”

“I know, but you’re very comfortable around dead people. Picture your students in coffins.”

The idea was bizarre, but Karol thought it just might work. She gathered her courage and called the college, taking her first step toward what would become a stellar teaching career.

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I don’t remember what inspired this story, but I still like it. I hope you do too!