Moderation - it's not just for booze anymore

Riding the el this weekend I found myself in a pretty full train, heading out towards O’Hare. In situations like this, it’s nearly impossible not to peoplewatch. And in due time soon I found myself fascinated by this one guy who boarded the train and sat across the aisle from where I was standing. He was notable for one main reason – he had very recently applied some sort of lip balm.

By itself, this would not typically be something I picked up on. I mean I recognize that men sometimes apply chapstick like everyone else. Myself, I rarely go anywhere without my tube of Neutrogena lip stuff*. But I found myself unable to look away from this guy because not only had he applied the lip stuff to his lips, but he had very obviously, applied it to the entire area around his mouth too. His jowls featured a “ring of gloss” around his lips which reflected any light that passed near it, particularly so considering it was about 1:30 and the sun was positioned “just right”. At moments, it was blinding.

So parents - remind your children that lip balm is for the lips, and is not intended for use as a general facial moisturizer. If you don’t, they’ll end up on a train someday looking like a leech in search of its next victim and people will stare.

* This post sponsored by Neutrogena: “If you put stuff on your body and it’s not Neutrogena, you’re probably going to give yourself mange!”

Comments

Jay Noel said…
Maybe the skin around his lips were really chapped as well. Since you live in the "windy city," I imagine many of you Chicagoians get pretty chapped lips (jowels).
grrrbear said…
Well, I've always been one to believe that there's a thing called "lotion" for that sort of thing. But maybe I'm being too judgemental?
KC said…
How did you keep from laughing? Did he look tough even with the lip gloss?