peel me a grape

A friend, describing dinner with a mutual friend, told me that he had ordered dessert for his "not girlfriend." Knowing exactly which dessert someone says something about the relationship, she said.

I thought about that later, about how I could tell you exactly how most of my male friends order their coffee, which ones have a sweet tooth, etc. Then again, I think male-female friendships are very different depending on which person you are in the relationship.

Recently, I was at brunch with castaña. At the end of the meal, she asked me for some lip shit. With some hesitation, I passed her the Sherry Baby (Origins) lipstick I had in my purse. (Hesitation because, while sheer, it's pretty intense for a Sunday afternoon ... um, for a white person.) She looked at it a little askance and said, "No, the other lip gloss that you carry in your purse." I rooted around and found the Mimosa (Philosophy) lip gloss I do always carry, but I was a little distracted. It stunned me a little to be that predictable, that known. It thrills me a little, but it also freaks me out and makes me want to take off in new and unexpected directions.

(As an aside, how do you get a job naming makeup shades?)