Masking THE ISSUE by Jean Eisenmann | photo courtesy of Jean Eisenmann
A
s the coronavirus pandemic continues, I reflect back a couple of months to when we were told gloves were a definite deterrent to contracting the virus. Then once we loaded up on them, buying up every store’s inventories and stuffing them in every nook and cranny of the house, the new preventive became mask. And my house smells like a latex factory.
the iridescent silvery stars reflect on the
ceiling and keep him awake. Can’t he just count them like sheep and nod off? I wear masks with red and orange
flames when I’m feeling rebellious,
I’ve now become so overexposed to
because I hadn’t realized that ripping it
sequins for masked tie, uh, black tie
profound effect on me. I seem to have
causing observers to have nightmares.
feeling my age, gingham when I want
“mass mask marketing” that it’s had a
developed a bona fide mask obsession. And to think of all the years I wasted coveting shoes.
off my face in one fell swoop might be
Today, I watched a local morning show
where the hostess announced, “Coming
up after the station break, we’ll learn how
It’s the new normal to have only half
to make masks from your husband’s old
public places draws more glares than if
masks, depending on the size of the
going about their lives wearing those
our masks. Ah, American ingenuity and
home; gardening, sunbathing, cleaning
opportunistic greed for good measure.
your face exposed. Not wearing one in
boxer shorts. One pair yields two to three
I picked my nose in church. People are
shorts.” We’re getting pretty crafty with
little fabric disguises and yes, even at
entrepreneurial spirit, with a sprinkling of
out the gutters, and jogging. And fainting,
I am accumulating quite a mask collection
because it’s just too hot to wear a mask outdoors in Texas. On TV the other
day, a newscaster conducted an
interview remotely with an “etiquette
expert” who shared with us the proper way to remove
a mask without
offending anyone.
You know, that really enlightened me
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AH, AMERICAN INGENUITY AND ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT, WITH A SPRINKLING OF OPPORTUNISTIC GREED FOR GOOD MEASURE.
to feed my new
fixation. I have masks of every color for every occasion –
even a night mask
complete with blue half-moons and
silver stars. It’s a
little intrusive to
events, ‘70s psychedelic when I’m
to project innocence, and a red lip print when I don’t.
I removed my jewelry from its
designated box and placed the pieces
in a plastic bag. My grandfather’s college graduation ring from 1920 and my aunt’s engagement ring that she brought over from the old country don’t require the
special container with satin lining that my mask collection does.
In addition to its health benefit of virus
protection, I have come to feel virtually undressed without wearing a mask.
I see it as a burgeoning fashion industry, not only developing as we live under
health threats, but also as we become
accustomed to wearing them as part of
our wardrobes. However, there will always be skeptics who prefer to go commando.
wear while sleeping
In the future, despite whatever progressive
said it not only makes
one characteristic can never be replicated,
like Darth Vader’s, but
heartfelt – and unobstructed – smile.
because my husband
designs may evolve from today’s mask,
my breathing sound
and that’s the beauty of seeing a warm,
JULY 2020 | 35 WEST | 9
