The way he makes me feel (English version)

~1

Fall 1986, New York City...

I look at myself one last time in the mirror. I look at my face and my hair which falls slightly wavy on my shoulders and check that my make-up, certainly discrete, is well put.

"Well... It should be fine I think."

I put on some perfume and adjust my sky blue blouse. I have this weighting feeling in my stomach and my heart is starting to rise... I repeat in my head the little speech that I will say when I will meet in introduce myself to my boss:

"Hello sir. I'm Miss Emerson, the makeup artist you hired recently."

I repeat this sentence in my head because I know that, anxious as I am, I will forget what to say again when I meet my boss or stutter, even if it's a little lame sentence it's true. I finally leave the bathroom to look for my purse in my room and my leather jacket. I look for my badge in this damn bag and obviously it is well hidden at the bottom... I finally take it out and put it around my neck. I look at my alarm clock which displays 8:10 a.m. My knot in my stomach tightens even more... I'll have to go if I don't want to be late, which would be a shame for my first day of work. I put on my jacket, put the shoulder strap of my bag around it and go to the entrance of my little studio. As usual I double check that I have locked the door before putting the keys in my bag and leaving.
I remember where I have to go to work. It's ok, it's about twenty minutes away and I have to be there by nine o'clock, so I have plenty of time, which makes me a little less anxious. I take a few steps in the street before finding my good old little scooter, pale green, not very nice looking I have to admit, but which works perfectly and has never broken down after more than two years of service. I get on it, put on my helmet and start to leave my little Brooklyn neighborhood.

I remember when Karen, my former boss and director of a small fashion magazine I had worked until now, called me into her office two weeks ago to talk to me. Although we got along quite well, I was afraid of what she wanted to tell me. She had never called me into her office in two years of work. The only time I went in was to apply for the job because she was looking for one makeup artist.
Once inside the office, I noticed that in two years she had not changed anything in the decoration of her office, which I personally found not very beautiful. It was a happy mix of brightly colored furniture with stripes and polka dots, all in a room with pee yellow wallpaper. I'm sure she bought all this crap after seeing it in decorating magazines that said it was trendy. I didn't know it was fashionable to have an office that looked like it was decorated by Picasso or Salvador Dali... As much as Karen had an impeccable style and a good taste in fashion, she was a disaster in home decoration!

"Oh Rachel ! Sit down, I have something important to tell you. It's about you."

I sat down in front of her desk. She was staring at me, smiling and squinting her dark eyes. She had that kind of look where you don't know if it's a friendly or a scornful one...

"You are surely one of our best makeup artists Rachel and I want to congratulate you for that. But..." She said while making a pause before resuming. "I think it would be so much for you to change a little of world, don't you agree ?"

"What do you mean ?"

I imagined her already announcing me that I was fired for I don't know what reason and I waited for the fatal answer by tightening my skirt between my fists.

"Well, you ounce told me that you were interested in the music clip industry or the movie industry if I am not mistaken? It's true that for make-up artist it is quite an interesting world to work in."

I nodded my head to confirm. Yes it's true that if I made to this profession was especially to be able to work in music clips or films, where makeup, imagination and creation are essential. I have always dreamed of creating incredible makeup for movies or clips, using prostheses or playing with shadows and colors to create unique creations and therefore unique characters ! Working in the fashion industry was not bad but it's true that it's a bit repetitive... You basically just have to even out the skin tone of the models and highlight their eyes, at least that was a big part of the job here...

Karen was still staring at me with that cold look in her eyes while talking about my future plans which I had told her about once, during my interview when I applied for the job I think.

"What a waste of time !" I thought. "Don't make me worry unnecessarily..."

"Well, I happen to have an acquaintance who is currently in New York for a while. He's the manager of a young artist who is going to shoot a video clip in the next few days and has been looking for a makeup artist for several days now.

"And ?" I dared to ask shyly.

"And so I personally recommended you to him and I showed him the various works that you have done for the magazine and he liked them a lot. I also told him about your plans for the future in the entertainment industry and he was interested. In fact, he was so interested that he agreed to hire you to be the makeup artist for this singer he's working for !"

"What? Really?" I exclaimed in shock.

I thought I will fall of my chair. To be hired just by seeing pictures of my work is surprising enough. But to have Karen, who is always very busy and very strict, to recommend me in person to an artist's manager, that's even more surprising! I prayed that I had correctly heard what she had just said and that I wasn't dreaming.

"I... Thank you very much !" I managed to articulate. "But, why..."

She had cut me off and her smile had grown bigger :

"Why did I do that? Well, it's true that I don't like to recommend my young talents to others, I prefer to keep them for myself !" she explained with a little laugh. "But I know that it was something that interests you a lot and. Moreover, I think that you have a lot of talent. So I preferred to give you all the chances to succeed in your projects and dreams because you won't work for just anyone."

What a surprise! Karen was not the type of person to give out compliments easily. I was wondering for which artist I was about to work for... Maybe had I heard of him before?

"Who am I going to work for?" I asked then.

"You'll find that out for yourself ! I promised his manager not to reveal his identity, for reasons of discretion. But you won't be disappointed, trust me !"

I didn't answer anything and just smiled like an idiot, too happy about this news. Karen walked around her desk and put her hand on my shoulder before spoking wistfully, as if I had already left my job :

"What a pity that you're going to leave us because you were one of our best makeup artists. But I feel that it would have been a waste to let this job slip through your fingers with the potential you have. All that's left is to wish you well and thank you for your good and loyal services ! I hope you will come and say hello from time to time."

She shook my hand warmly. It was the only time, I think, that I saw her compliment my work like that and be so warm towards someone.

***

I regain my composure to better focus on the road. New York's buildings pass in front of me. I will never get tired of this incredible landscape of this forests of towers that seem to reach the clouds, it's impressive! I think back to my little interview with Karen and I ask to myself this question that has never left me since that day: who was the manager, but especially this famous singer I'm going to work with ? A famous one ? A young artist in vogue or a pure beginner making his debuts in the music industry ? I'll find out in a few minutes. It's exciting and scary at the same time because this guy is my future boss after all ! I just hope he's a nice guy and not as strict as Karen... I also hope that his style and taste are not as bad as her for decoration... But that's none of my business I suppose.