13 March - Cyndi & Madonna

Ah, much better, a Soho late night bar. I’ve come to meet Martin, sculptor and one of the most dashingly handsome gays you’ll ever hope to squire you somewhere. He’s chatting to a friend he did a house up for. A marketing/brand revolutionary woman, that’s how she describes her job. To me it’s just a question of re-designing and re-positioning a product. No big deal or words to use but then I wouldn't be able to charge the money for it... She’s talking non stop about her first time in NY recently, for some reason she’s never been before. She’s in charge of re-branding something big, maybe an M&S beauty range or a Molton Brown one, or whatever, six figure salary she says. Don’t believe her. Not that what she’s wearing would betray it. I guess she’s deliberately anti-fashion. One of those ‘I can afford it but I chose not to’. Except that her silly old mangy fur would need Kate Moss to wear it to make it look ok. She’s more than a bit ugly, though, so I wonder how that works in the beauty industry. Some reverse kudos? I stop short of asking….Close to me in age, reddish wavy hair, sort of Irish looking.
V. kooky looks indeed, which is my old theory of the Cindy Lauper vs Madonna. Ok they both had ribbons and haberdashery galore instead of real clothes, but at some point the pretty girl can stop masquerading as a clown because she has other ways to get attention. The ugly one has to keep using the disguises. Am sure the Cindy Laupers of this world would disagree vehemently, but they know that I know and am right. She’s talking to Martin who fusses over me and tries to have a conversation alongside her monologue, so she has to break the flow. She asks ‘So who are you?’ My reply gets to be under ten words ‘Well, I’m Lisa and I’m not from London, but…’ before she just turns back to Martin with something to say and that’s it, she's off again about Soho House in NYC. She’s cut me off. Unbelievable. I guess it had to happen one day. I’m too stunned to even fight this one. I text Martin that we’ll talk some other time and move on.