Linda Breach Of Beauty [Paperback]

It was upon moving to New York City from my hometown of Pittsburgh that I first noticed this strange phenomenon. In Pittsburgh, I mostly rode around in a car driven by my mother or father. But in New York, arriving at the age of 19, I walked the streets and rode the subways, mixing with the citizenry of the famous city. It was then that I first became aware of it. People continuously stared at me! Or they yelled out comments . . . or mumbled them under their breath as they passed. Or they simply made faces-grimaced, smiled, laughed, looked puzzled, angry, bewildered, amused, or showed disdain and contempt. Or, they would pass me and then stop to look back . . . or look over their shoulder as they walked. For sure, traversing the streets of the great city, I seemed to create for others a mini-sideshow of sorts. But . . . why were they staring at me? And why were they yelling out comments? And why were they making faces? I remember, many times, moving from the middle of the sidewalk, into a sheltered doorway, fumbling in my purse for my mirror, and then looking to see what was wrong. Why was I causing a commotion? Maybe a bird has pooped into my hair Maybe I have a huge, black spot of city soot on my face Maybe my makeup is smeared in some amusing way Maybe my hair has blown around to create some bizarre hair-do Such were my thoughts. But never could I find anything strange! I just saw my face . . . as I had always seen it. Granted, I did wear a lot of makeup-an almost white makeup base, green eye shadow, black mascara, pink rouge, red lipstick, and heavy black eyeliner, top and bottom. But New York had lots of theatrical people-actresses, Broadway dancers, theater performers-who wore makeup. I didn't think my makeup to be that extreme or outstanding in any way. Indeed, I had seen far more interesting makeup than mine!