CATEGORY: METZGER
PHOTO: ANOTHER LITTLE GIRL WITH LIPSTICK FACE

When Eric was two years old, I gave birth to Jari.  When Jari was about three months old, Eric decided that she lacked color.  At that time the baby crib was in the laundry room, since we only had one bedroom.  While I was outside gardening, Eric found a tube of my lipstick and completely covered Jari’s face with bright pink lipstick. I mean COMPLETELY.  There was not one little bit of skin showing.

Jari had a large amount of red hair, even when she was born.  Three months later, of course, she had even more.  When I came in and found her, the color combination was shocking: bright red (actually orange) hair, bright Pepto Bismal pink face and two little blue eyes looking solemnly up at me out of the pink.  I wish I had been a color photographer in those days and kept records.

About nine months later when Jari was about a year old, Eric decided that Jari needed washing.  Perhaps he remembered when her face was pink and thought he would then make sure it had all been removed.  At that time, Jari was pulling herself up in her crib, using the side of it for support.  I came in to find her in a standing position and Eric peeing all over her.  His pee was dripping off her face, so his aim was pretty good.  And it was FUN; she was even blowing tiny bubbles.  I had him help give her a bath and explained to him that water out of the faucet was better for getting her clean than  urine.  Of course urine was so handy, what with warm inner plumbing and all.  He didn’t even have to move the subject into the bath tub and turn on the taps.