DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Black Flames, whole no. 1, January 1946

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Black Flames, whole no. 1, January 1946

Page 16

polish, or even face powder, even when I went to high school and all my girl chums wore makeup. My aunt had given to me ten dollars for my birthday, and told me that I could spend it for anythint I wanted. I suppose she thought I'd spend it for books. I had a marvelous collection of fiction and non-fiction books on witchcraft, fantasy, science fiction... oh, everything that was rather off-trail or unusual. 'Sfunny my aunt and uncle were terribly strict, but they didn't seem to mind what I read; I guess because they weren't 'bookish' people themselves. They just didn't want me to have boyfriends or wear makeup, and it was perfectly ridiculous to prohibit these things at my age."

Roxana sniffed indignantly. "Anyway," she continued, "when this little old woman came to the door with her array of cosmetics, it seemed to me like a wonderful opportunity to assert my rights at last as a free individual and do what I pleased. My aunt and uncle happened to be out for a few hours, and so I invited the little old lady inside.

"How shall I describe her? She was a popular conception of the old witch in 'Hansel and Gretel', and yet she had a pleasant, mischievous twinkle in her oddly slanted green eyes.

"Any misgivings that I might have had were quickly banished when she drew forth from her valise the most enticing array of bottles, jars, and varicoloured flasks.

"I remember she said to me, 'This is the first time you've ever bought any cosmetics, isn't it?' I replied that it was, and asked her how she knew. 'Oh, I can tell a lot about my customers, you'd be surprised,' she remarked, and then said with a sly wink, 'and I do hope you will become one of my customers.'

"I had the strange feeling that she could gaze deep within my miserable little soul--that she sensed that I was lonely and unhappy in my unnatural, sheltered life with an aunt and uncle who could never understand me, or give me the love that real parents could. I finally ended up by purchasing from her a box of face powder, an odd little flacon of perfume, a lipstick, and a jar of vanishing cream. The funny thing was, she insisted upon presenting me with an extra large size of the last item, and she wouldn't accept any money for it. She said something about its being a gift from her on my twenty-first birthday. It didn't occur to me to wonder 'til after she was gone just how she knew that it was my twenty-first birthday. I hadn't mentioned the fact. I recall her saying as she left, 'You'd be amazed, dearie, what a change in your life there can be just from the proper use of a few cosmetics!!'

"When my aunt and uncle returned, I forthwith showed them my newly acquired treasures. They were not only disapproving, but furious. My aunt immediately appropriated the

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polish, or even face powder, even when I went to high school and all my girl chums wore makeup. My aunt had given to me ten dollars for my birthday, and told me that I could spend it for anythint I wanted. I suppose she thought I'd spend it for books. I had a marvelous collection of fiction and non-fiction books on witchcraft, fantasy, science fiction... oh, everything that was rather off-trail or unusual. 'Sfunny my aunt and uncle were terribly strict, but they didn't seem to mind what I read; I guess because they weren't 'bookish' people themselves. They just didn't want me to have boyfriends or wear makeup, and it was perfectly ridiculous to prohibit these things at my age." Roxana sniffed indignantly. "Anyway," she continued, "when this little old woman came to the door with her array of cosmetics, it seemed to me like a wonderful opportunity to assert my rights at last as a free individual and do what I pleased. My aunt and uncle happened to be out for a few hours, and so I invited the little old lady inside. "How shall I describe her? She was a popular conception of the old witch in 'Hansel and Gretel', and yet she had a pleasant, mischievous twinkle in her oddly slanted green eyes. "Any misgivings that I might have had were quickly banished when she drew forth from her valise the most enticing array of bottles, jars, and varicoloured flasks. "I remember she said to me, 'This is the first time you've ever bought any cosmetics, isn't it?' I replied that it was, and asked her how she knew. 'Oh, I can tell a lot about my customers, you'd be surprised,' she remarked, and then said with a sly wink, 'and I do hope you will become one of my customers.' "I had the strange feeling that she could gaze deep within my miserable little soul--that she sensed that I was lonely and unhappy in my unnatural, sheltered life with an aunt and uncle who could never understand me, or give me the love that real parents could. I finally ended up by purchasing from her a box of face powder, an odd little flacon of perfume, a lipstick, and a jar of vanishing cream. The funny thing was, she insisted upon presenting me with an extra large size of the last item, and she wouldn't accept any money for it. She said something about its being a gift from her on my twenty-first birthday. It didn't occur to me to wonder 'til after she was gone just how she knew that it was my twenty-first birthday. I hadn't mentioned the fact. I recall her saying as she left, 'You'd be amazed, dearie, what a change in your life there can be just from the proper use of a few cosmetics!!' "When my aunt and uncle returned, I forthwith showed them my newly acquired treasures. They were not only disapproving, but furious. My aunt immediately appropriated the