game face

Last weekend my friend Cherie came through town, working on the Ray LaMontagne tour. I planned to see her before the show for a chat and asked if I could bring her anything. She told me that some of the crew and band members had drawn teams for a World Cup pool, just like you and I might do at our jobs. (I can't BELIEVE Karen in accounting drew Germany and I got Greece. COME ON.) Modern Rockers: They're Just Like Us!

Cherie had this idea that it might be fun if I brought some face paint to the venue, so that while the crew was watching the England vs. Italy match before the evening's concert, they could be decked out in proper colors, like sports superfans. Because the only thing better than cheering for your randomly chosen team on the big screen TV in your office is doing it with your face covered in paint.

A couple of hours before we were to meet up, I received a text from Cherie proposing that I not only bring the face paint with me, but actually pose as a local Professional Face Painter, to do these dudes up right. I agreed immediately (WHO WOULDN'T) and within 30 seconds I had already begun formulating my character's backstory. I decided she was the type of person who would wear blue mascara and have a Swatch on her right wrist with the face turned inward, to more easily check the time while working on her clients.  It should be noted that I have never painted anyone's face and rarely wear makeup myself. L thought it would be hilarious if I showed up and acted completely professional and then failed miserably at the task. I thought that would probably happen naturally.

I asked John to come along as the footie expert / face paint assistant. I grabbed a small bag usually filled with diabetes supplies and loaded it instead with tissues, makeup wedges and washi tape. We stopped at Michael's on the way and bought some face paint. When we got to the venue we exchanged giddy hellos with Cherie.  Then we put on our game faces, so that I could...put on a .....game.......face.

The tour manager had drawn England and a member of Ray's band got Italy. There was talk of me painting the Italian flag on the musician's face, but since he had a show to perform in a couple of hours, a crew member made some tiny Italian flags out of gaffer tape instead. The TM, however, was prepared to go full face, so I fell into character immediately.  He had a beard and I said I didn't have any experience with that, as my clients were usually aged 10 and under. I told him I had never painted flags before, as I was more comfortable with butterflies and Batman. I was SELLING IT, people.

Then a funny thing happened. I wasn't a complete disaster!  And since the guy was taking it seriously, so was I.  I wanted to be sure to get the lines of St. George's cross super straight, AS A PROFESSIONAL WOULD DO.  John suggested that I cleanse his face with alcohol wipes to get rid of the natural oils so the washi tape would stick properly. Stroke of genius! 

John and I made small talk with him and the tour photographer who was documenting the whole thing. We joked about how if the TM got super sweaty and the paint started to melt, he would look SO VERY METAL. Since I decided to steer clear of his beard, and there were only two colors, it didn't take very long.  John snapped this pic just as I finished and Cherie came in to check on our progress.  I love the look on her face.

He indulged me when I asked to get a picture with him.

We confessed that Cherie and I were old friends and I wasn't just some rando she found to come paint his face.  Then the match kicked off and a bunch of the crew gathered in his office to watch the game, including the fellas with the Italian flags on their faces. (That's John playing photog below.)

John was thrilled to be able to watch the match with a bunch of lads (including two Scots and an Irishman) who love the sport as much as he does.  Cherie and I sat outside and chatted and laughed at their cheers as they carried through the halls. Sadly, an American wearing the cross of St. John on his face in Ohio wasn't enough to help carry England to victory, and the TM washed it off right after the game. But it was great fun, in a way that only spontaneous adventures can be.

All of which is to say, dear reader: I have A LOT of paint left over (according to the package, enough for 449 more faces) and a newfound enthusiasm for getting paint all up in other peoples' business.  If you're gonna be at the FFL conference in two weeks and plan on attending the July-4th-themed dinner / dance, I know where you can get some amateurish designs painted in red, white and blue on you / your child's face / extremities. Though I think my true talent may lie in recreating your favorite World Cup team's flag using the canvas of your face.

Thanks for being the architect of this particular caper, my friend.