GIVE US A PECK

     "Boys don't make passes at girls who wear glasses," sing-sang
Ruth's mother, on their way to get Ruth fitted for contacts.      
"Oh, Nancy," said Ruth, who didn't call her mother Mom.      Once
there, Nancy flipped through a book telling all about tinted
contacts, the kind Brooke Shields was advertising.        "My Ruth
doesn't need any of these," Nancy seemed to announce to the whole
store.  "She has the loveliest powder-blue eyes..."      "Cut it
out," said Ruth.  "You're really entarrassing knee."      "Don't be
such a gloomy Gus all the time.  You'll see.  These contacts will
give you a whole new perspective on things...
boys...dating...you'll see."
     "I really don't think it's nigh eyes that are the prollun
here, Nance."
     She was not lying.  Ruth had, through some DNA foul-up, been
born without lips.  Her face ended in a sort of raggedy-half-
finished fringe just above and below her upper and lower gum lines.

This gave her a constantly ferocious, menacing affect.  Ruth's
parents were by no means wealthy but a local philanthropist had
taken pity on the poor girl and offered to pay whatever it took for
plastic surgery.  No luck--Ruth and her mother had travelled across
the country from one plastic surgeon to another, all of whom said
nearly the same thing:  "Lips are the trickiest area for us to work
with.  She would look worse, honest.  I'd do something if I thought
it would help.  I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do."  One doctor
had said something to the effect of, "Look on the bright side; it
could be worse."  When Ruth's mother had asked how, he pulled out
a book ofburn victims and showed her.
     She was sickened by the photos, but the doctor seemed almost
romantic as he spoke of them.  "These are the glory jobs, the ones
that can make or break a career.  Skin grafts, facial
reconstruction...You know what *I* have to look forward to next
week?  Eight nosejobs and twelve tattoo removals.  Do you--"  He
was becoming angry and red-faced and Nancy took her crying
daughter's hand and left.  
     Ruth tilted the mirror up until she could only see her nose,
a perfect aquiline, and her eyes, the large powder-blues of which
her mother was so proud.  The woman returned with the contacts,
Ruth was shown how to use and care for then, and she and her mother
left.  
     On the way to the car, they heard a bunch of workers gathered
around a manhole whistle at them.  "That's for you, you know," said
Nancy to her daughter.  She let her daughter walk a few steps ahead
of her then she caught back up.  "You do have a perfect little
figure--"
     "That's enuss," said Ruth, who had the kind of body that no
matter what she wore it seemed as if she were naked.  Often, she
felt as if her 'perfect little body' were part of a perfect cruel
joke that was being played on her.  Other times she felt as if God
had tried to make the perfect woman, but just ran out of material
at the last moment.  This thought consoled her somewhat, and
allowed her to go through life with an attitude of bemused
acceptance. 
     "Nance," said Ruth, at dinner, "Do you know what the most
romantic thing any guy said to me last semester was?"
     Ruth's mom looked at her husband then answered, "What?"     
"Turn around and grab your desk," said Ruth.  "Turn around."  Ruth
started to cry.  Flecks of food were visible in between her teeth. 
Her father looked away.
     "Your father and I," said Nancy, "have come up with something
that might appeal to you."  It seemed to Ruth that her mother's
full, sensuous lips mocked her daughter as she spoke.  "Your father
and I have added up just how much you would have ended up spending
on lipstick, makeup, everything over the course of a lifetime..." 
    Ruth wore no makeup, ever, seeing no point in it.  The fact
that she had perfect skin didn't hurt either.
     She listened to her mother some more.  "...and we worked out
that it would all add up to something like, oh, how much was it,
hon, some outrageous amount, I can't believe that I spend that much
money just on--"
     "It's quite a bit of money," said Ruth's father.
     "Yes.  And as an early graduation gift, we're going to--oh--
well here."  Ruth's mom pulled out a card with a check in it and
handed it to her daughter, kissing her on the forehead.
     Her father said, "Buy a car, take a vacation, anything you
want."  He was hoping she would choose the latter.
     Ruth excused herself and went up to her room.
     The boxes that arrived the next week were all full of
lipstick.