Gray-Haired Geisha Girl

In my Manhattan door-man building, resides over a thousand New Yorkers. All from various walks of life, different career choices and a range of ages. I live quite close to a hospital, and so we tend to have a breed of doctors, nurses, and dentists as well as students studying nearby. All have one thing in common; they rent. No one is here to make a permanent nest. No one is long term. That said, there is one resident, who stands apart from the masses. One who I would never have expected to occupy these living quarters at her age and oddity. My roommates and I have dubbed her the Gray-Haired Geisha Girl.

I first spotted the tiny woman on my street corner coming home one evening as the sun was setting. She stood, hunched over in her plaid blazer and black pants, with her short gray hair combed neatly around her face. She wore white face powder on her aging wrinkled features, and crimson-red lipstick on her full lips. As the glowing man appeared on the traffic sign, she began to scurry quickly towards the building. Quiet tiny steps she took, as she made her way through the grand entrance and passed the doorman with a nod.

I thought it was peculiar to see a woman in this day and age wearing such vivid white face powder. It immediately made me think of the Japanese Geisha girls I learned about in my history classes at school. They used to wear make-up such as this to look attractive for their many men. It was all very interesting...But what the heck was one doing HERE... in NYC... in MY apartment complex?

I saw the Gray-Haired Geisha Girl for the second time at the pharmacy. I was there picking up a few items when I heard a little squeaky voice cry out to the cashier in a language I could not quite comprehend. I stood in awe as the miniature woman attempted to be understood in her foreign tongue. I wanted to help her, explain to the cashier what it was that she needed, but I obviously had NO clue what this seemingly crazy lady needed or desired. I decided to back off and walk down an isle to find hair products, when I felt a tap on the lower part of my back.

"Excuse...EXCUSE!" She said as she pushed passed me, clearly on a mission to have someone who worked there understand her. "Sure..." I said, as I moved sideways for her to pass. Down the isle she teetered until she disappeared around the corner. Wowza, I thought...What is this woman looking for that is causing such chaos?!

Upon dishing this amusing gossip to my roomies while lounging on the couch one evening, D shot up and exclaimed: "Oh my God, that is totally the same lady on my elevator every morning! Whenever I get in, she motions me over and grunts to tell me where to stand! Then starts petting me and looking me up and down!" We all collapsed in giggles as we heard this outrageous story being told of the morning elevator journey. But I will admit, a small part of me did not quite believe D-Roomie until today.

I finally had the determination to drag my sleepy bones out of bed early this A.M. to see the graceful Manhattan sunrise along the water. I have only seen it two other times here, and one was because I was coming home. I dressed quickly and exited the apartment. As the elevator doors opened, there she was staring at me.

"AY!" She yelled. (I'm assuming that means I'm allowed to get in?) She motioned for me stand next to her. I viligantly obliged. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her look up and down in my direction. (D-Roomie was right...She's giving me the once over!) Suddenly a hand came towards me and I froze. I had NO idea what this woman was about to do, but I had no mind to dare vex her. She began patting down my jacket, seeming to care how it fell on my frame. Then, with one quick swoop she reached up and untucked the hair that had snagged itself inside my scarf. Fast as a whip, it was set free and untangled. "Ahhhh" Gray-Haired Geisha Girl murmured. She began stroking my hair so that it lay straight down my back, all the strands in the same direction. I heard: "O-OK.." (Was I done? Did I...Pass?) Just as I was wondering what this woman could possibly do next to fix my apparently disheveled appearance, the elevator doors swung open to the ground floor. She looked up at me and smiled, "OK...Good-Bye" she sharply stated. And off she trotted out the entrance. I stood in disbelief for an instant, going over what had just happened.

Why had she told me where to stand in the elevator? Why had she petted and groomed me? I just didn't get it...Why was this little old woman such an enigma?

I wonder if any of us will ever know.