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The Price of Beauty
Aug. 5th, 2014 07:57 pmMargaret’s delicate nails were glowing an interesting green color in the dark. Gloria turned the lamp on the vanity back on.
“See Gloria, isn’t that amazing?” Margaret said and she finished touching up her lipstick.
“That certainly is the bee’s knees.”
“The girls and I are going dancing tonight. You should come with us.”
“Thank you Margaret, no. It was a long day at the factory. The boys overseas need those parachutes. “
“I don’t know why you slave away so hard in that factory. I hear the war will be over soon. What happens then Gloria?”
“If the war finally ends, Richard will be back. We plan to marry.”
“I think you should come work with me. Painting the dials on watches to glow is so much easier. You won’t be so tired all the time.”
“I don’t know Margaret. Are you sure the paint is safe. It is so unusual, I still can’t believe it glows. You said you have to use your lips and tongue to keep the point on your brush. You’re ingesting it. We’ve been learning about harmful ingredients in my nursing classes.”
“The big shots at the company have assured us it is perfectly safe!”
“I am happy at the factory. Switching jobs now doesn’t make sense to me.”
“Horsefeathers Gloria, don’t be all wet. You’re just going to lead your boring life waiting for your beloved Richard to get back from Europe and never do anything exciting.”
“I like my boring life Margaret. I shall live vicariously through your exciting one.”
“Fine!” Margaret huffed in exasperation. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
******
“Darling!”
“Yes Richard?” Gloria stepped out of the kitchen and into the sitting room where her husband was reading the paper.
“Did you hear about the Radium Corporation? They discovered the radioactive paint they were using is killing the workers. They’ve been sued.”
“The Radium Corporation? That’s where Margaret worked when you were overseas. She’s was really ill the last year before she passed on.”
“They are calling the workers the Radium Girls and they’ve got something called radiation poisoning.”
“She used to come home with her nails and sometimes her lips or face painted.”
“A terrible price to pay for beauty if you ask me.”
“See Gloria, isn’t that amazing?” Margaret said and she finished touching up her lipstick.
“That certainly is the bee’s knees.”
“The girls and I are going dancing tonight. You should come with us.”
“Thank you Margaret, no. It was a long day at the factory. The boys overseas need those parachutes. “
“I don’t know why you slave away so hard in that factory. I hear the war will be over soon. What happens then Gloria?”
“If the war finally ends, Richard will be back. We plan to marry.”
“I think you should come work with me. Painting the dials on watches to glow is so much easier. You won’t be so tired all the time.”
“I don’t know Margaret. Are you sure the paint is safe. It is so unusual, I still can’t believe it glows. You said you have to use your lips and tongue to keep the point on your brush. You’re ingesting it. We’ve been learning about harmful ingredients in my nursing classes.”
“The big shots at the company have assured us it is perfectly safe!”
“I am happy at the factory. Switching jobs now doesn’t make sense to me.”
“Horsefeathers Gloria, don’t be all wet. You’re just going to lead your boring life waiting for your beloved Richard to get back from Europe and never do anything exciting.”
“I like my boring life Margaret. I shall live vicariously through your exciting one.”
“Fine!” Margaret huffed in exasperation. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
******
“Darling!”
“Yes Richard?” Gloria stepped out of the kitchen and into the sitting room where her husband was reading the paper.
“Did you hear about the Radium Corporation? They discovered the radioactive paint they were using is killing the workers. They’ve been sued.”
“The Radium Corporation? That’s where Margaret worked when you were overseas. She’s was really ill the last year before she passed on.”
“They are calling the workers the Radium Girls and they’ve got something called radiation poisoning.”
“She used to come home with her nails and sometimes her lips or face painted.”
“A terrible price to pay for beauty if you ask me.”
