Amy Sue Nathan

Searching for khaki

I recently scoured three never-been-there-before beauty supply stores searching for this particular nail polish color.

Had I not found it I’d have purchased it on the internet.  It is THE color for Spring and Sumer according to the beauty trend gurus.   Country Club Khaki is IT.  French manicures and pedicures are out, did someone forget to tell you? Luckily they told me because although I will wear crocs and put my hair in a clip and I will gladly embarrass my children in public — I will not have unkempt, naked nails.

In store #3 I spied three bottles of CCK on a bottom shelf display after being told there were no displays with new colors.  Hmpf.  I bought all three bottles, shipped one off to BFF so she didn’t have to search her entire metropolitan area for it, and took the others home.

Nail drama resolved.

While I was driving to store #3 I set my sights on store #4, assuming I would not find the color.  I also thought about my internet options and who I knew in different corners of the country who could perhaps locate this color for me.

I would do anything to get my Country Club Khaki.

And because everything is about writing, I realized that in books we need our characters to do whatever it takes to get what they want as well.  I’m assuming it’s probably more interesting than nail polish, but think about it.  If I’d wanted the polish, gone to Walgreens and found it, it wouldn’t have been much of a story.  But the fact that I wanted a French manicure and was shocked to discover it was out of style — that my nail tech shared the secret new hot color with me — that it totally worked for my weekend’s worth of events — that when it chipped I went to buy it and couldn’t find it — so I went to not one, not two, but three speciality stores to find it and had more ways up my sleeve to get it — well, I thought, I hope the characters I write are as driven to polish their nails and trendy reach their goals, solve their problems and embrace surprises as I was! I mean, a little obsession goes a long way and can be rather relatable.  Even if you don’t polish your nails — have you ever gone to a few stores to find an ingredient for a meal?  A perfect pair of shoes?  It does have to be a big ticket item like a house or a car to propel someone into a finding frenzy.  As a matter of fact, it’s often the perilous, tiresome, exhilarating search for time or friendships or balance or answers to questions (no, not nail polish) that truly send us — and our characters — on the most meaningful journeys.