"Lady In The Bathroom"

I used to play games in my mind with people I’d see on the subway, on buses, on the street, etc. I did a lot of writing while lost in the crowd at Quincy Market, at the airport, at the T stop, and elsewhere. I don’t remember this particular lady, however. I do remember one girl I sat next to on a plane once. She had a luscious tan, and flawless skin. She spent most of the flight slathering Nivea lotion on her face and arms. I’ve been a fan of Nivea ever since. It was Elaine who got me started applying baby oil to my skin while still wet after a shower. Now I use olive oil, which I like even better. The only drawback is that one of our cats, Basie, also likes it, and tries to lick it off my legs, which feels a little weird.

Current listening: Carpenters Gold - 35th Anniversary Edition

Lady In The Bathroom

© 1990 Brian Hutzell

A lady in the bathroom has a hairbrush
That she uses to fluff up her hair
Her perfume lingers on and on
The scent of it remains when she's no longer there
And the flowers in her dress
Add to her loveliness
And the ribbons on her ankles
Wave invitingly in the breeze
What wonder every man is attracted to her side
They stumble on their way to open doors and hold her coat
Pulling chairs out
While she stares out the window
They don't know she has a secret
No one asks her to reveal it
But they wince at the sniff they get from her
Just a whiff, then she's off
And they're standing there
To clear the air
Someone coughs, and no time's lost
The men go about their business
The lady is forgotten
When they see her next, they won't remember
Meeting her before
And so it goes