Shades of Fortune

by Birmingham, Stephen;

  Specifically, I have been studying photographs of the actress Brigitte Bardot, as she has been evolving into a major film star. Bardot’s principal beauty flaw is that she has too-large lips. In order to draw attention away from this flaw, she—or, more likely, those who supervise her makeup—have chosen to increasingly emphasize her eyes. Furthermore, though eye shadow has been traditionally used only to cover the upper eyelid, Bardot is now shading her eyes all the way up to her brows. At a fashion show in Los Angeles the other day, a model came down the ramp wearing black eye shadow above and below her eyes. A few minutes later, another appeared wearing red shadow above and below, and, on top of that, a third model appeared with one eye done in shades of green and blue and the other in shades of violet and navy. This is just gimmicky stuff, of course, but my feeling is that the eyes are going to provide women with their chief beauty focus for at least the next few years.

  I am asking our lab technicians to develop a complete line of eye makeup products—pencils, eyeshadows, eye “glitter,” mascara, false lashes, etc. I am also offering a prize of $10,000 to any employee who can come up with a device that will make the application of mascara easier—instead of the current, messy way, involving the mascara “cake” and brush.

  Eye Makeup: A Brief History

  Women—and men, too—have been making up their eyes for at least 6,000 years, in ancient Egypt, Rome, throughout India and the Near East, and in Europe. According to folklore, the eyes were shaded in order to ward off the “evil eye.” If you look directly into another person’s eyes, your own tiny image will appear reflected in the dark of the other person’s pupil. In fact, the word pupil comes from the Latin pupilla, meaning “little doll.” To the superstitious, this indicated that some sort of transference could take place—that one person could capture another by staring directly into his eyes. But darkly painted circles around the eyes absorb sunlight and consequently minimize reflected glare into the eye. Ever wonder why football and baseball players smear black grease under their eyes before games? That’s why.

  By 4000 B.C., the Egyptians had zeroed in on the eye as the chief focus for facial makeup. They preferred green eye shadow, made from powdered malachite, a green copper ore, and they applied this heavily to both the upper and the lower eyelids. Outlining the eyes and darkening the lashes and eyebrows were achieved with a black paste called kohl, made from powdered antimony, burnt almonds, black copper oxide, and brown clay ocher. Scores of jars of kohl have been unearthed in archaeological digs, their contents intact and still usable!

  Fashionable Egyptian men and women also wore history’s first eye glitter. In a mortar, they crushed the iridescent shells of beetles into a coarse powder, then mixed it with their malachite eye shadow, using a little spit!

  My lab technicians assure me that modern science has synthesized some more appetizing ingredients for eye makeup!

  It was this memo that launched Miray into eye products in the 1960s. And it was the idea for an automatic, roll-on mascara, which Mimi christened “Mas-Carismatic,” that launched the career of Mark Segal in the company. At the time, he was working in the mailroom (where he was first to read this memo), and now, of course, he is the advertising director of Miray.

  And this memo was the first of many “Mimi Memos,” which, over the years, would make her as famous in the beauty business for writing long, detailed memos as David O. Selznick was in Hollywood.

  28

  And now, sitting in a corner of Mimi’s office, in the shipping carton in which they were delivered this morning, are her grandfather’s diaries: thirty-one years’ worth of daybooks, in as many neatly numbered volumes, beginning in 1910 and ending, somewhat abruptly, in October of 1941. Why did he suddenly stop making entries? she has asked herself. He did not die until eighteen years later.

  She has obviously not had time to read through all of them, which she feels she must do before turning them over to Jim Greenway, but she has scanned through enough of them to ascertain that they are, indeed, written in her grandfather’s spidery, but legible, European copybook hand.

  Most of the entries she has read so far—she has to agree with Michael on this—have not been terribly interesting. In most of the earliest ones, for instance, her grandfather spent a great deal of time complaining about his younger brother. Sample: the entry dated July 4, 1910:

  National holiday! Great Parade in New York, led by Mayor. But had to work today, painting house at 5570 Mosholu Pkway. Leo kvetched all day—wanted day off. A raise he even asked for yet! He is impossible to work with. All he does is kvetch and krechtz.…

  July 10, 1910

  More kvetching from Leo. I told him he is the number one World Champion kvetcher in the United States … Leo is stupid … Leo is lazy … Leo is nothing but a golem …

  Out of curiosity, wondering what her grandfather’s reaction had been to her birth, she had flipped forward to the year 1938, to see what he had entered for May 24.

  Alice had the baby today. It is a girl. Very difficult labor for Alice, Henry says. Doctor tells them that they should have no more. When he married her, I told Henry that Alice did not look too good for child-bearing—too weak-looking, pelvic structure too small, and I was right. Baby is very sickly and runtish, only 5 lbs. 6 oz. Now I shall have to count on Edwin to give me the grandsons I want. They have named it Marie.

  He did not even get my name right, Mimi thinks.

  She then flipped back to 1916 to see how her father’s birth had been heralded.

  July 17, 1916

  My first son is born, the first of many I know, and I am a man blessed by God! A fine, fat, healthy, happy baby, weight 8 lbs. 14 oz. Flo doing fine, nursing, with milk to spare. I was right in my estimation of her capacity for childbearing, fine strong hips, broad pelvic structure are what one must look for in a woman. We have named him Henry, in honor of my father Hermann, may God bless his memory.…

  She had moved further backward to learn what she could of her grandparents’ courtship and marriage.

  May 10, 1914

  I have joined Temple Emanu-El, where all the uptown swells belong, where it is so grand that they do not even call it a shul! The bankers Schiff, Seligman, Loeb, Warburg and Lehman are all members, and a Lehman is its President. They will begin to take me seriously in New York now, for now I am one of them. This is a momentous day for me.…

  July 19, 1914

  There is a pretty little blue-eyed girl who sits in the pew just in front of mine at temple. Sometimes she turns and smiles at me. Today, she dropped her prayer book, and I reached down and fetched it for her. She thanked me in the prettiest way, just with her eyes, which are the prettiest blue for a Jewish girl.

  August 10, 1914

  I have just learned the identity of the little blue-eyed girl at temple. She is Fleurette Guggenheim, of the smelting family, and the man who sits beside her is her father, the great Morris Guggenheim, and the other men in the pew are his brothers. They are Swiss Jews, which explains the blue eyes, fair hair, and they are very rich—richer even than Rockefeller! This means that I will have no chance with her. Still, it is pleasant when she turns and sees me there, and smiles at me with those eyes. In French her name means “a little flower.” That is the perfect description for her.…

  August 17, 1914

  Today we spoke for the first time, just a pleasant “Hello, how are you?” “I am fine, and you?” after the temple services. I really think she begins to like me. Is it possible? Should I ask her if I can walk her home? Should I ask her if I could pay a call? This will be very difficult, because she is always surrounded by her father, and all those powerful-looking uncles, who are very protective of her, which of course is as it should be.…

  September 12, 1914

  Fleurette, Fleurette—oh, my fragrant little summer flower! Summer is fading now, and so are all my hopes, for you are forever unattainable. Yet you are forever with me, in my thoughts and in my dreams, in my heart and in my soul—your sweet and gentle
voice, your gentle eyes, my gentle Fleurette. Do you ever think of me? Do you sometimes dream of me as I dream of you? There is a song they’re playing everywhere—“You’re the Only Girl for Me”—and that is the song I hum in my head when I think of you, which is always, and yet it is never to be. Oh, Fleurette, my love, my love. This diary today sends only sweet thoughts to you.…

  October 9, 1914

  I cannot believe my good fortune! I think I must be dreaming! The Guggenheims have offered Fleurette to me! It is their proposal! They asked me today if I would consider taking Fleurette’s hand in marriage! It is beyond my wildest hopes and dreams, that they should think that I am good enough for their Fleurette. Surely God has made me the most blessed of men.…

  November 12, 1914

  The wedding date has been chosen, January 5 of next year, and the rabbi has been retained. It seems an eternity from now, but they say that there are many things that must be done in preparation, and of course they are right. She asks that I call her Flo, which is what her family calls her. Flo. Flow. Yes, you make my blood flow stronger, my little Flo.

  January 5, 1915

  My wedding day! And today, if that were not enough, Flo’s father and her uncles presented me with their wedding gift—her dowry of one million dollars! I am sitting here, staring at the cheque, and cannot believe my eyes. I am already rich, but now I am three times rich—rich in happiness, in health, and in wealth as well. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all of the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever.

  Mimi had then flipped further backward, to the year 1912, the year that the momentous event that had changed all their lives had happened.

  March 16, 1912

  Stupid Leo! Poured too much coagulant into the red paint for Mrs. Spitzberg’s kitchen. So viscid that it dries practically on the brush. Ruined, Leo said, wanted to throw it all out—two dollars’ worth! Wait, I said. Idea! Sell it as paint for ladies’ fingernails!

  March 20, 1912

  Bought case of nail polish bottles at Manufacturer’s closeout. Investment: $10. Will fill all bottles from our 5-gallon drum, label each bottle “Three Alarm Quick-Drying Nail Polish,” sell up and down the street at 10¢ each—should be a nice profit!

  April 3, 1912

  Mrs. Feldman, 3065 Grand Concourse, loves “Three Alarm.” Wants more for her daughter in Canarsie—our first reorder!

  May 7, 1912

  Levy’s drugstore wants to stock “Three Alarm.” Thinks we should raise the price to 15¢ per bottle. Ordered more bottles today. Mixing new batch.…

  July 6, 1912

  That Leo! He’s telling everybody he “invented” Quick-Drying Polish! Him we’re calling an inventor now! What a gonef!

  She couldn’t help wondering what he would have written in his diary about that visit of hers to his office in the spring of 1957, when she told him that she wanted to marry Michael. But of course the diaries did not go that far ahead in time. She did, however, as she flipped randomly through the volumes, find an entry for April of 1941 that reflected how he must have felt. The page bore the heading:

  Inappropriate Members of This Family

  1. Leo

  2. Nate

  3. Alice!!!!

  4. Naomi (sometimes)

  5. Other son (alas)

  Though cannot truly say that Yrs. Truly has no faults, think it safe to say that Yrs. Truly has never done anything that was inappropriate, unsuitable, undignified. Proud of that. Must make sure that new little granddaughter marries well, someone appropriate, suitable. Never too soon to plan appropriate husband for her. Reminder: Keep eyes open for Right Man for her as years go by. Husbands, etc., must be suitable, no matter how many hearts are broken in the process. Are there worse things in life than broken hearts? Yes. Broken promises.

  “Love is a test,” he had written to her that summer in Europe.

  Finally, she had turned to some of the diaries’ most recent entries for 1941. She had read:

  August 1, 1941

  Leo knows where I keep these diaries. I must find a better hiding place, for he could use them against us! Where? Leo has got to go! Must put final plans into execution to drive him OUT! NOW!

  Then she had turned to the last entry of them all, which was also in some ways the most mystifying.

  October 10, 1941

  Henry has been “borrowing” money from Flo! Found out about it going through her canceled checks. $50 thou. she gave him! Why? What for? Henry earns PLENTY! What is the reason? Not Leo. Leo has been PAID OFF! Nate? Is Henry that STUPID? All evidence has been destroyed! Have had a word about this with Flo this evening. Flo is too soft-hearted with him—and too soft-hearted where $$$ is concerned. Will have a word with Henry about this in the morning. This has got to STOP! That damned Alice!

  On that note, her grandfather’s diaries ended. There are, of course, many thousands of more words that she has yet to read, but now it is time for her appointment with her aunt Nonie, which is much more important. She will get back to the diaries later.

  “Miss Naomi Myerson is here,” her secretary says.

  “Good. Please show her in,” Mimi says.

  “Mimi, darling,” Nonie says, sweeping into the room in a red Trigère suit. “How wonderful to see you!” Mimi rises, and the two women greet each other with little pecks on the cheek.

  “You’re looking well, Aunt Nonie,” Mimi says, trying to keep her tone casual and family-friendly. This will not be an easy feat for her—nor will this be an easy interview—because, try as she may, she has never really been able to like her father’s younger sister. For this reason, because of the possibility of tension between the two women, Mimi has asked that I not be present at this meeting, promising to tell me all about it later on.

  “Thank you,” Nonie says, touching the collar of her jacket. “I picked this color just for you: lipstick red. Where shall I sit? Oh, not there—I’ll clash. How about here on the sofa?” She seats herself and begins removing her matching red gloves, finger by finger. Then she crosses her knees, letting the heel of one red patent pump dangle fashionably from her toe so that the Delman label on the instep shows. “It seems ages since I’ve seen you, Mimi, dear,” she says. “Not since that night at your house, when your mother made that … rather unfortunate scene. Oh, well. By the way, how is darling Alice?”

  “Very well,” Mimi says easily, and perches herself on the corner of her desk, deciding that this informal pose will seem less lady-executive than if she had seated herself behind the desk.

  “Oh, that’s wonderful,” Nonie says, a trifle too effusively. “It’s a pity that Alice and I have never been really … dose. The great difference in our ages, I suppose.”

  Mimi smiles, thinking that her mother and her aunt are almost exactly the same age. And you’ve never been close, she thinks, because you’ve been taught for years to despise my mother because neither she nor anyone else would have ever been good enough for your parents’ treasured Henry. “I suppose that’s it,” she says. “I wanted to see you, Aunt Nonie, because—”

  “So this is the way you’ve redone Daddy’s office,” Nonie says, looking around. “I like it, I really do. It’s very ‘in,’ isn’t it? I’d heard that chintz is coming back. What are those?” she says, pointing to the stack of diaries.

  “Oh, just some old books I’m thinking of buying.”

  “Are you and Brad into collecting old books now? I thought it was Chelsea plates. Well, I suppose you can afford to collect whatever you want, you have the money. Me, I’ve always been the poor relation, as you know.”

  “As a matter of fact, that’s one reason why I wanted to talk with you, Aunt Nonie,” Mimi says, trying to begin the meeting again.

  Nonie tilts her chin in the air as though balancing a feather on the tip of her nose. “And you know,” she says, “I’ve always thought that I could be sitting at that desk where you sit now. And I could be—if I’d been quick enough to grab the opportunity, before you p
ounced on it.”

  Mimi decides to let this comment pass with an easy laugh.

  “I’m not joking. I could have run this company.”

  “I’m sure you could have, Aunt Nonie. But would you have wanted to? There are such a lot of headaches. For instance, right now—”

  “But meanwhile, darling, I’m quite desperately looking forward to your launch party on the seventeenth. I’ll quite definitely be there, and so, believe it or not, will Mother. She’s even bringing her friend Rose Perlman. I said to her, ‘Mother, all they’re going to be doing is airing a couple of Mimi’s new little television commercials; you won’t be able to see them.’ She said, ‘Well, I can hear them, can’t I? I watch television all the time, just by listening to it.’ Isn’t she a sketch?”

  “She certainly is. Now what I—”

  “And do you know what else she does? She turns off the television whenever she gets undressed to put on her nightie. She thinks the people on television can see her.”

  “My, my. Well—”

  “But, darling, you must have had a more important reason for wanting to see me than just to talk about Mother. Really, it’s such an honor for me, the perennial poor relation, to be invited to the executive offices of the Miray Corporation! Little me, invited down here by the great Mimi Myerson! Surely you don’t want my advice on anything, darling.”