Nail Fever

Last weekend, I went to a nail bar. Actually, these places were called ‘nail bars’ in Bombay but out here, they go by all sorts of names. The point is, it’s a place where you go and get your nails done. Fingernails and toenails. This friend of mine was the MC for the concert and she decided that she needed a manicure and a pedicure. ‘Hey, lets’ all go and get it done. It’s only 20 bucks!’. Ok, I decided to go along. The place was run by a team of Chinese women and whoa, were they efficient? One tended to my dirty feet, scrubbing them, tickling them, rubbing them, washing them. The other worked on my fingernails. This entire team was like some worker bee colony. Speaking with each other in high-pitched Chinese, they worked their way through the hands and feet of all the women there. I had chosen this non-controversial shade of pale lilac and once it was applied, I had to go and dry my nails under a buzzing-n-glowing contraption. I placed my hands and feet under this thing for a while till it got boring. As I moved out, clumsy me banged my index finger against something and promptly, all that lovely artwork was spoilt. No problem, she applied another coat of nailpaint on my index finger and all was well.

We got home and there was loads of work to be done. In some time, I was washing vessels, cutting veggies, cooking etc. with no regard to my freshly painted fingernails. Luckily, they stayed put with no damage. In a couple of days, though, they started getting on my nerves. I mean, I have NEVER had any fancy for painted, long fingernails. I mean, how on earth do you maintain these talons? I don’t have any maidservants and whatever minimal housework that happens is done by moi (though Pinch would disagree!). How can you cut okra, peel carrots, type, etc. freely? It’s been just 6 days since Nail Fever happened and I think I’m going to cut my nails off. Pinch will have the last laugh…:-)