En"lighten"ment

You cannot go anywhere without seeing billboards, signs and various advertisements offering services to lighten your skin. It is a cultural obsession. The personal hygiene section of any store will offer a variety of products specifically targeting the purchaser's desire for fairer skin. Billboards proclaim their ability to effectively remove the "tan" and you can readily expect to see such services also available at almost every salon and spa. There are creams, salves, waxes, washes, laser treatments, and a myriad of things I'm confident that I have overlooked. While I can readily speculate as to why this is such an enmeshed desire within Indian culture - in many cultures actually, the reality of it comes down to a belief that fairer skin equates to high cultural status. In other words, having fair skin means that you do not have to labor every day in the sun. Consequently, it is of little wonder that cultures that hold these ideals are completely mystified by western cultures of sun worship and tanning salons. I am certain that while sunbathing is already a mystery, the idea of paying actual money to lay in a tanning bed to eradicate your fair skin is well beyond their understanding.

This has never been my issue. I was born a redhead...and all that entails. I freckle easily. I have shockingly fair skin. Despite the with the promises of various sunscreens I do not tan and even with 50SPF I burn in minutes, which then renders my skin approximately the color of a boiled lobster, then it peels, I get more freckles and return to an approximation of my previous skin tone...pale.

I consider this whole thing grossly unfair. All of my siblings tan (granted they are all half siblings), and my mother tanned beautifully. Even my son tans to a lovely shade of bronze. There have been exactly two times in my life when I managed to achieve even the slighted additional color to my skin as a result of sun exposure. The first was a few days I spent snorkeling in Barbados, the second is here in India where I have managed to achieve an albeit pale, but noticeable tan line...specially on my feet.

Now you may be wondering why I feel it is necessary to share this particular personal information - well the other day I decided to get a pedicure and that is where the story begins.

There are many things about living in India that are wonderful. One of those things is the availability of manicures/pedicures...very, very inexpensive and wonderful. As my husband and I have the luxury of a 4-day weekend and I knew we would be going out with friends, I decided to take myself off and get a pedicure. The salon could take me immediately so off I went.

This is the salon where I get my hair cut, so I have become something of a "known" quantity. They know my name, they know how I like my coffee and they are warm and friendly every time I go. So I settled into the pedicure chair and looked forward to the pampering. I had a lovely whirlpool treatment, a moisturizing treatment, a foot massage, all followed with a full pedicure and polish. It was lovely and relaxing.

As we neared the end, the lovely lady who had given me the pedicure asked me a question. In fact, she asked it twice. I did not have the vaguest idea what she was asking. Suddenly the receptionist for the salon, who speaks flawless English, appeared. She said, "Madam, we have noticed that you have some tanning on the tops of your feet and your hands, she (being the pedicure lady) was asking if you would like it removed?" I must have looked shocked and then to their dismay I started laughing thinking to myself this was not the "enlightenment" I sought when I came to India.  "No," I said, "I've worked very hard for this, I think I will keep it!" I paid my bill and tipped my pedicurist and left two terribly confused women behind me.