Clashing Symbols

Years ago my son's middle school was on the way to my office. It was nice spending time with him in the morning on the drive to school. If we got an early start, I could take a more leisurely route, going up into the hills east of us then south on a street that winds its way down along the hills. The speed limit on most of that gently curving street is twenty-five miles per hour.

Well, one morning when heading down that street I see in my rearview mirror that the driver behind us is not maintaining a safe, fixed distance from us. Her car gets close to us, then drops back a bit, then creeps up again. The driver is using her rearview mirror, but not for the intended purpose. She should have had little lights installed around it. First she is checking her hair, then she starts in with the makeup application, all the while giving minimal attention to the task of driving. When I see her holding an eyelash curler, I pull over and let her past. I was nervous enough when she was wielding a sharpened pencil near her eyes.

Now, many parents rarely question their children's need for sleep or food. Though he had eaten breakfast just before we left the house that morning, my son tells me he's still a bit hungry. I make a quick detour to a commercial area that has a good coffee shop and a bakery next door. As I park the car, who should pull up next to us but that woman who was putting on her makeup en route. We get out of the car as she walks by, and I say, "Oh, your makeup looks fabulous!"

I related this incident to a female coworker. She was not happy to hear about it, and remarked that such behavior only perpetuates the stereotype that women are too concerned about their appearance and not very bright. Her exact words were something along the lines of "I f***in' hate it when women do that!"

By the way, Chuck Berry needed a title for his song about a woman driving a car and used the name of a cosmetics company, Maybelline. Thanks, Chuck.