They say beauty is only skin-deep, and that may just be so. And not only that, but it doesn't seem to last much past the age of forty. At least not by the TV or magazines. Folks talk about beauty like it's a commodity, you either have it or you don't, but I know that ain't so. It's not something that's on or off; there are differing degrees.

 

The problem for TV and magazine people is that everyone has a different scale.

 

I mean, probably every guy thinks Pamela Anderson is pretty. But maybe some guys think she's less pretty than, say, Yasmine Bleeth or that brunette from the apricot-scrub commercial ("so maybe it's not deep spiritual cleansing"). On the other hand, no one would say that Pam Anderson was ugly, unless they were in the Twighlight Zone or gay or from another planet or something.

 

But the thing is, beauty isn't much more than what you're born with and how you look, and for the most part it's out of your control. Sure, folks talk about "inner beauty" but mostly they do that so that ugly people won't feel bad.

 

Ugly lasts longer than pretty, anyway.  There are some ugly folks who grow up good-looking. I've nevcer known any, but sometimes I see them on Jenny Jones. Lots of folks who are good-looking grow up ugly, though. I see them all the time. I reckon ugly is like death, in a way; sooner or later, it gets everybody.

 

I've never been particularly good-looking. I've been better-looking than I am now, but never good-looking. It's never really mattered much to me. I kind of feel sorry for good-looking people, but not too sorry. I hear them complain sometimes that they never really know if someone likes them for themself or just for how they look. That seems kind of silly to me. I mean, how many people do you need to know that well? It sounds like they have problems trusting people. And anyway, the ones who always seem to be saying this are cheerleaders and fashion models; why don't they just wear baggy clothes and stop wearing make-up? It just sounds hollow, especially since being good-looking opens doors for them, gets attention, and even to a degree inspires trust.

 

At least, normally it does. There are some sick freaks who hate good-looking people and give them cocaine and use them and beat them up. At least they do in the movies. I don't know if I feel sorry for those mean folks who treat people that way, or the good-looking folks who allow themselves to be treated that way. Mostly I just don't watch those movies.

 

In the end, though, folks love good-looking people. We all want to be good-looking and have good-looking friends and marry good-looking people and raise good-looking kids. We like to watch good-looking people on TV and even listen to good-looking people sing, which is kind of ironic because we can't see them on the radio.

 

 

As you get older, I think, looks get less important. It's just how it is. I think it has to do with how you yourself look as you get older, but I also think it has to do with wisdom. At least for most folks.