Bottle #20

Have you been in a situation and thought, am I in a sitcom? I had one of those moments Saturday. Jeff needed to run some errands and I had an idea that he could drop me off to get a manicure/pedicure, accomplish what he needed to, then pick me up! Brilliant! He reluctantly agreed but I assured him I would be fine. I had been there several times and they even call me by name when I come in. It was a beautiful aftternoon and as we drove away from the house I thought I would choose a color I hadn't used before. As we entered the salon, the first signal letting me know this might be a different experience was when no one greeted me by name. To steal a phrase from Anna Grace, "buck up little camper," you can do this! Someone familiar has to be here! As Jeff responded to the first nail technician I saw only one familiar face! Where was everyone? I wanted to ask but they couldn't understand me anymore than I could understand them! Jeff seemed hesitant but the gentleman said, "pick color." So he wheeled me around in front of the wall display where I quickly knew this would be tricky! This would feel like shopping to Jeff with 100 different colors to choose from! Jeff will do anything for me but he doesn't have too much patience in this kind of setting! Can you imagine how challenging it is to select nail polish when you can't stand up and peruse the rows of colors, talk about them, or even point to one you think might be the color of choice! On the drive I had typed that I would like a dark polish, not black but dark. I intended it for the nail technician I knew read English but she wasn't there so I showed it to Jeff. He gave me that are you kidding look when I noticed some bottles were numbered. I scanned the numbered bottles for a color I had in mind when my eyes landed on bottle #20. I have a good eye for color but wasn't exactly sure, so I typed for Jeff..." read the name on the bottom of bottle #20." He turned it upside down but the print is small and of course he didn't have his glasses! I sensed that impatient thing surfacing so I decided bottle #20 would be fine or maybe there would be one on the supply cart more like I had in mind. Not so much! Jeff helped me in the spa chair and before I could address the color issue my IPad was taken and placed aside while one nail tech rolled up my pants leg and the other was pushing up my sleeves! We were off to the nail experience with little communication. I couldn't even tell them I was a bit lopsided in the chair as the water was bubbling, the chair massaging, and clippers snipping! I tried to shift with no luck so I sat back to relax and decided even if bottle #20 wasn't the color I wanted it was just polish and would only be on my toes. Then I realized he didn't know I don't put polish on my fingernails, just clean up the cuticles, trim, and buff. So as I was sprawled between two nail techs getting the full treatment except for someone feeding me grapes he began to polish my fingernails with what appeared to be black from bottle #20! Well my initial thought for a new shade was taking place before my very eyes and I knew Anna Grace would think it was cool. But I received an unexpected shout out from five year old Hudson, "hey Nan, I like your fingernails!" Who said guys don't notice details?