The morning began innocently enough. You see it was Sunday and Hubs and I were running late for church. It had taken me a while to come up with the perfect outfit, you know not too dressy, not too casual.

As I dragged from the closet my third item to “try-on” Hubs asked, “You see what time it is?”

“Yes,” I answered rather briskly. Men never understand the work involved when selecting the right and perfect apparel. Let us see – although summer doesn’t begin until June 21, we are in springtime and past Easter therefore the color white is perfectly suitable. Check.

Next – the weather is rather warm so light-weighted attire is appropriate, but, wait a minute, mustn’t forget the AC at church is set rather cold on these spring days. Better take a light jacket, just in case. Check.

Of course, the outfit must be in my most becoming color, therefore aqua, white or pink is preferable. And, a recent pedicure will allow sandals. Check.

Hubs is at the front door. “Come on, we’ll be late!”

“No problem here,” I practically skipped down the front steps and into the car. As usual when plopping down upon the front seat, I flipped down the visor mirror, just to check things out. That’s when I saw it.

In all of the hurly-burly, there was one thing I had missed. I failed to use the eyebrow pencil above my left eye. Oh, the right one looked perfectly fine, actually rather glam, but the left one was a total blank. The results were a quizzical expression that I didn’t need, not at church on Sunday morning.

Now there are places when an arched, quizzical eyebrow is perfectly sane. Think, Think, Think, oh. yes, at the next political meeting, maybe at the Neshoba County Fair in July or even at the Bank of Armadillo County Investors Meeting.

Now that I think about it, a quizzical-type countenance may project intelligence, like people will ask my opinion regarding Armadillo stock and stuff.

But I was on my way to church and Hubs wouldn’t take me back home for a re-do. I madly scratched through the glove box for a pencil, match stick – anything to fill in the eyebrow. Nothing.

So what to do?

We arrived to the church with two minutes to spare. I could have used that two minutes, but Hubs said, “Noooo, we can’t be late.”

So I did what I could. I sat in the car for a full minute, then briskly walked into the church utilizing the last minute, keeping my head turned in an abstruse but perhaps distinguished manner. Once seated, I deposited my left arm on the chair rail and leaned my entire head into my hand.

I believe I pulled it off. Actually no one seemed to have noticed but then, no one asked me any questions of great intelligence either, but they seldom do.

After church, I scurried to the car to reflect upon the sermon. You know God never makes a mistake and the scripture presented on that day was:

1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

I believe I learned two good lessons last Sunday. (1) Always carry an extra eyebrow pencil in the glove box (2) Never be prideful and boast when one eyebrow is more glam than the other.

Also perhaps I have started a new trend regarding a quizzical countenance. I mean it could be? I plan to try-it-out in July at the Neshoba County Fair where politicians will be everywhere and I look forward to all of the highly intelligent questions that are sure to come my way.

Anne B McKee is a Mississippi historian, writer and storyteller. She is listed on the Mississippi Humanities Speakers Bureau and Mississippi Arts Commission’s Performing Artist and Teaching Artist Rosters. See her web site: www.annemckeestoryteller.com.