It took a long time for me to hit the wall. Literally.  Years.  And then without a hint of a warning, there it was.  My wall. Never even saw it coming.  And I hit it hard-going ninety to nothing in a fitted black cocktail dress and leopard print pumps. Bam!  Left a mark on the wall of glass in a perfect shade of dusted rose with a hint of shimmer.  Squished lips imprinted on plate glass.  The scene of the crime.

I hit the glass wall so hard the pain did not even register at first.  But the sound sure did.  A guy loading in his drum set rounded the corner took one look, removed the cigarette from his mouth and simply said:

That musta hurt.

I check my two front teeth- still there. Blinding pain-and then I remember something about noses and lips bleeding a lot.  A real lot.

And sure enough, lips bleed.  A lot.

A part from the pain-I was pissed.  In between cursing myself for doing something so stupid-and for doing it so well- I apply pressure and access the damage.

Ewwwwwwwwww.

Lip flap and blood-split my cupid’s bow it did.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

And then I have to decide what to do.  Leave it alone?  Ice?  I have to sell art and mingle about in an hour-do I wing it and just go on?

I go on.  Nonchalantly mingling and hobnobbing in the name of art, as my top lip swells to porn star heights.   And every time I hobnob and smile, I feel the trickle of blood begin again…..

Um…your, um, lip is bleeding.

Oh. Sorry. I walked into a wall on my way in.

Jokes about screen doors and alcohol.

A mark of distinction?

Oh, it’s nothing.

THAT’S going to leave a mark.

Funny.

Does my husband secretly wish my upper lip would stay this swollen?? Hmmmm?  What is it about swollen lips and men?

Advice on where to go, where NOT to go, what to do and what not to do.

You’re gonna need a plastics guy ya know?

Really?  Plastics guy?  But I don’t know any plastics guys.

And then thanks to the power of word of mouth( no pun intended) I find a plastics guy.

Who very carefully and artistically put me back to together again.

Me and my cupids bow.

The swelling will go down. ( sorry honey) I will slow down. And best of all, I will have a small little scar to remind me to do so.

And my plastics guy?  If he is this good on lips I wonder how he is with………?

Well, every good woman needs a good plastics guy.

**Gracious and sincere thanks to Dr. Russell Babbitt III, Lyn and Robin for putting me back together again…..the guy is a genius.