My Mother Will Be So Proud That I Wore Lipstick

You know how on TV mother's are always telling kids to wear clean underwear in case they're hit by a car? My mom's kind of like that, only she thinks I need lipstick. Apparently, I can be half naked and wearing no underwear at all when hit by a city bus. But if my hair is brushed and I'm wearing lipstick, that's what my mom will tell people at the funeral.

So, yesterday my husband had to go sign up to get a new shift at work. It's a pretty standard thing that happens every so often and we try to take in at least a couple of whichever kids are being cute that day to show off to the co-workers. We took Quinn and Brennan since the rest of them were all at school.

Me? I fixed my hair and wore lipstick.

There was something big going on, and we couldn't quite figure out what. Lots of people in suits and ties, shaking hands. We hid in an office, but there was no escape. Someone spotted the cuteness we'd brought along. Before I know it, this guy is shaking Dominic's hand, shaking my hand, shaking Quinn's hand, and touching Brennan's head.

He looked like this:

The cameras were out and the flashes went off. After he left, the CEO of the company came in and repeated the scene only with fewer cameras.

Now, I'm confused. And, since I don't particularly enjoy being confused, I asked my husband's co-worker who it was, and tried not to look like a complete idiot. Emphasis there should be on tried.  I did not in any way succeed in not looking like a dumbass.

"That was the Governer." she said, giving me that how-could-you-not-know-this look.

"The Governer of what?"

"Of Minnesota! That's Governer Dayton!"

And the tiny little metaphorical lightbulb went off over my head. I'm not usually that slow, but A) Who expects to see the Governer? and B) I'm a California girl. The current CA Governer is the same guy who was doing the job when I was a kid. And the last Governer was the freaking Terminator.  They're sort of hard to mistake for the average businessman.

So, while my mother was very proud that I was wearing lipstick, I'm thinking we're both grateful that I wasn't half naked with no underwear, even though she's not drilled that into me as being very important.  Although, that would have made the story that much more interesting.