Fearless

Standing out front wondering if they were open, the sign read 1-6 p.m., we were still hesitant. But we urged on and walked through the front doors, I was with my mom. She was down visiting from Pennsylvania for the weekend. I was exceptionally hesitant, I was a little shy, one part because of my recently acquired black eye, another because I was the only guy in a sea of ladies, all there for the same purpose as my self, a pedicure.

Because I had never once before been to a spa, except maybe one time with my mother when I was younger; this made my head begin to feel as if I was perceptually confused, and flustered by all the meticulously placed Asian ornaments. It wasn't long before my state of current aw was disturbed. This was the mood.

"Hello" the soft skinned Asian woman greeted me.

After exchanging the usual pre-pedicure lingo while dodging her forward sales-skills or lack thereof, we made it to my seat.

So far, after I had made it past the shock, I was calm and a little excited. The preparation is the same: a little Asian man walks around the spa placing a spoon-ful of aqua blue solvents into each of our feet's surrounding pods. Then each individual is assigned their "personal" assistant. I got lucky. Mine a mid 20s Japanese knockout, who was not shy and made me feel even more comfortable. We continued through the procedure, some of it was awkward, and I kept asking myself how people make a living rubbing others' feet. Probably, because of her casual attitude I was instantly numb towards any awkward feelings I had before, so I sat and enjoyed and sometimes my heart would race at sight of the state of her steel tools. Overall the experience was certainly enjoyable, and while sitting there no one was looking at me as being out of place-a few obscure ups and downs, nothing unusual.

The chairs were straight out of a massage catalogue and they matched the decor of the entire place. In fact the entire room flowed, nicely; the fake plants didn't even feel tacky. The employees or artists were fearless. To them feet seemed malleable, their hands smoothed out the wrinkles, their files reformed individual nails and the stones leveled out calluses, admirably tackling individual foot mis-perfections, an amiable task itself.

Even though it seemed unusual at first, even after my mother's reassurances that men do these things often, I believe this is necessary practice. I felt care free most of the time All the middle aged women who surrounded me with their Dulce purses containing countless credit along with keys to high-end vehicles, seemed to be at peace with my presence. I must say this was refreshing, I hardly see women like this who are not judgmental, yet I was within feet of them in their most comfortable habitat. Early on I would have had troubled times fathoming such an experience. It was certainly unique.

Before I could realize, I was outside. My experience was over. It all seemed the same, but my feet wouldn't stop tingling.