lipstick & japan

I was staying in a huge house with many other people. I went upstairs to get dressed for an outing. After showering, I applied some luscious melony lipstick - it was glossy and fragrant. A male friend who had come upstairs with his girlfriend who was also dressing, borrowed the lipstick and applied it to his own lips. I slipped into some clothing and was surprised by my choices: a black skirt that skimmed just above my knees and a filmy ivory top. My legs were bare and golden. I found a pair of strappy, high sandals that I put on. I took my time criss-crossing the long laces around my ankles. Finally, I was ready to go back downstairs.

Next, I was staying in a Japanese apartment. I woke in a beautiful room with brown and green upholstery and exquisite fittings. I straightened the bed, folding back the crisp sheets and a felt blanket, but a young woman who worked there quickly stopped me doing more and encouraged me to enjoy rather than work. Over the course of the next few hours we became firm friends and planned to spend time together. She showed me where she lived and told me about her routine, where she ate, what she ate and where she worked and studied. We realised that I lived many, many miles away, in another country, so we would not see each other often.