“ACHOO!”
“Bless you!” said the eight people standing around in unison.
Monique hated this part more than anything. Most pop stars loved getting fussed over. All the attention on her, making sure she would look the most beautiful that night. But Monique hated it. Something about the stiff smell of hairspray, the makeup powder that filled the air and made her sneeze, and the sharp scent of nail polish made her want to throw up.
She felt bad for all the people who labored over her now. Three girls on hair, two on makeup, two on wardrobe, and a small Asian man left with mani’s and pedi’s. She knew these people were intimidated by her, and all she wanted to do was befriend them. If it was up to her, she would jump out of the shower, put some jell in her hair, apply some mascara and lip gloss, and spend the rest of the time trying to figure out how her life got where it is today.
She never thought that all this, a mansion of a house, paparazzis following her everywhere, limos, expensive clothes, music videos, recording labels, and every girl between the ages of 13 and 25 wanting to be her best friend, could come out of a small town talent show in Fairbank, Iowa. At fifteen, she thought this would be the highlight of her life. One of her friend’s uncles owned one of the largest recording companies in New York, and she had convinced him to make a trip to Iowa. Who knew that five years later she would hold the number one spot on iTunes top ten for three weeks running? Monique wished she could turn back time. She wished she had never entered that talent show. She felt suffocated by her chaotic life. But there was no backing out of it. Her parents and younger sister had become used to living the life of the rich and famous. Trips to different tropical areas every other week, a beach house in the Hamptons, and clothing from whatever store they wanted had become their way of life, and they were not ready for anyone to take it away, especially their daughter and older sister. There was no way Monique could let them down.
“Ok, Miss Parker, are you ready to get dressed?”
Monique thought of telling them the truth. She would much rather stay in her ten dollar pajamas from Costco than put on whatever outfit they had laid out for her, something probably costing over $5,000. But she didn’t want to be rude so she lifted herself from her seat and shuffled towards the dressing room.
“You are just going to LOVE your outfit for tonight. It screams Monique Parker. Just wait till you see it!!”
“Well good, I’m excited.”
Monique was not excited. She hated ninety-seven percent of the things her “people” had her wear. Hot pink fishnet tights with random holes were apparently perfect for her, but in truth, she thought they were tacky. Five inch heels with goldfish print? Who would wear those? Oh wait, Monique Parker would. She would wear them with her checkered print skirt, neon yellow t-shirt with Chinese characters, and that bedazzled jean jacket. Monique hated every part of it. Yet somehow everyone thought it fit her personality perfectly.
“Here it is!”
“Woooow…. That is one crazy outfit.”
“Exactly! One crazy outfit for one CRAZY Monique Parker!!”
Monique thought the girl would die from her random giggle attack, but she didn’t want to be rude so she giggled along. What an outfit. It was hideous. Tonight she would be wearing a dress that made her look like a parrot, complete with her very own pair of lace up army boots, and jacket with mustard colored ruffles. Monique hated mustard, and the color.

As she put on her dress, she reminisced about her past. She thought about what she would be doing now if she had never become famous. She pictured herself in a small classroom in Iowa, looking out at a group of eager-to-lean first graders.
“Are you feeling alright today, Miss Parker?”
“Yes, I’m fine, just a bit tired.”
Yes, she was tired, tired of her life that is. She needed an escape, but how? What would she do? Go back to college? Yes that’s possible, she had enough money to pay for any college she wanted to attend. Would she still become a teacher? That was her dream as she grew up, but was it now? Yes. Every time she saw her young cousins she regretted her decision to make a C.D. She loved reading the kids books, teaching them to tie their shoes, and pushing them on the swings at the park. She thought about how rewarding it would be to teach kids every day. At this moment, she wanted to go to college and become a teacher more than anything.
“Darling, you look gorgeous! That dress looks fantastic on you!!”
“Thanks, Pierre, you don’t think it’s too much?”
“Are you kidding me? Nothing is too much for you honey.”
“Hmmmm, well, I like this dress a lot better, maybe with some black heels.”
Monique pointed to a very sophisticated knee length red dress. It was beautiful, but not Monique Parker beautiful. Like Pierre always said, “Monique must wear something Unique”. This dress was stunning, but not Monique-unique. “How pathetic,” she thought, “I can’t even wear what a want.” Her life was dominated by fashion experts, hairstylists, makeup artists, and her manager Pierre. She never made her own decisions, and she thought it was about time she started.
“You know what Pierre; I’m just not going to go tonight.”
As I said it, thousands of pounds were miraculously lifted off her shoulders. She was finally getting what she actually wanted.
“Oh, Monique, you stop that, this is the party of the year!”
“I’m just not into this anymore. I’m serious; I’m done with all of it, signing, partying, singing cds, I’m done!”
“Monique, darling, maybe you just had a rough day. You skip the party tonight, go home and rest, and we can start over at the studio tomorrow?”
“No, you don’t understand, I’m going to college. I’m going to become a teacher.”
She could hear the chorus singing joyously in her head “HHHHAAAALLLEEELLUUUGGGHHHIIAAA HALELUGHIA!” as took off the hideous army boots and parrot dress. She put back on her sweats and she was happy to be herself again. Tomorrow she wouldn’t have to be someone else, Unique Monique: number one pop artist, just herself, Monique Parker: future elementary teacher.
LIVING THE LIFE, BUT NOT MY LIFE
“ACHOO!”
“Bless you!” said the eight people standing around in unison.
Monique hated this part more than anything. Most pop stars loved getting fussed over. All the attention on her, making sure she would look the most beautiful that night. But Monique hated it. Something about the stiff smell of hairspray, the makeup powder that filled the air and made her sneeze, and the sharp scent of nail polish made her want to throw up.
She felt bad for all the people who labored over her now. Three girls on hair, two on makeup, two on wardrobe, and a small Asian man left with mani’s and pedi’s. She knew these people were intimidated by her, and all she wanted to do was befriend them. If it was up to her, she would jump out of the shower, put some jell in her hair, apply some mascara and lip gloss, and spend the rest of the time trying to figure out how her life got where it is today.
She never thought that all this, a mansion of a house, paparazzis following her everywhere, limos, expensive clothes, music videos, recording labels, and every girl between the ages of 13 and 25 wanting to be her best friend, could come out of a small town talent show in Fairbank, Iowa. At fifteen, she thought this would be the highlight of her life. One of her friend’s uncles owned one of the largest recording companies in New York, and she had convinced him to make a trip to Iowa. Who knew that five years later she would hold the number one spot on iTunes top ten for three weeks running? Monique wished she could turn back time. She wished she had never entered that talent show. She felt suffocated by her chaotic life. But there was no backing out of it. Her parents and younger sister had become used to living the life of the rich and famous. Trips to different tropical areas every other week, a beach house in the Hamptons, and clothing from whatever store they wanted had become their way of life, and they were not ready for anyone to take it away, especially their daughter and older sister. There was no way Monique could let them down.
“Ok, Miss Parker, are you ready to get dressed?”
Monique thought of telling them the truth. She would much rather stay in her ten dollar pajamas from Costco than put on whatever outfit they had laid out for her, something probably costing over $5,000. But she didn’t want to be rude so she lifted herself from her seat and shuffled towards the dressing room.
“You are just going to LOVE your outfit for tonight. It screams Monique Parker. Just wait till you see it!!”
“Well good, I’m excited.”
Monique was not excited. She hated ninety-seven percent of the things her “people” had her wear. Hot pink fishnet tights with random holes were apparently perfect for her, but in truth, she thought they were tacky. Five inch heels with goldfish print? Who would wear those? Oh wait, Monique Parker would. She would wear them with her checkered print skirt, neon yellow t-shirt with Chinese characters, and that bedazzled jean jacket. Monique hated every part of it. Yet somehow everyone thought it fit her personality perfectly.
“Here it is!”
“Woooow…. That is one crazy outfit.”
“Exactly! One crazy outfit for one CRAZY Monique Parker!!”
Monique thought the girl would die from her random giggle attack, but she didn’t want to be rude so she giggled along. What an outfit. It was hideous. Tonight she would be wearing a dress that made her look like a parrot, complete with her very own pair of lace up army boots, and jacket with mustard colored ruffles. Monique hated mustard, and the color.

As she put on her dress, she reminisced about her past. She thought about what she would be doing now if she had never become famous. She pictured herself in a small classroom in Iowa, looking out at a group of eager-to-lean first graders.
“Are you feeling alright today, Miss Parker?”
“Yes, I’m fine, just a bit tired.”
Yes, she was tired, tired of her life that is. She needed an escape, but how? What would she do? Go back to college? Yes that’s possible, she had enough money to pay for any college she wanted to attend. Would she still become a teacher? That was her dream as she grew up, but was it now? Yes. Every time she saw her young cousins she regretted her decision to make a C.D. She loved reading the kids books, teaching them to tie their shoes, and pushing them on the swings at the park. She thought about how rewarding it would be to teach kids every day. At this moment, she wanted to go to college and become a teacher more than anything.
“Darling, you look gorgeous! That dress looks fantastic on you!!”
“Thanks, Pierre, you don’t think it’s too much?”
“Are you kidding me? Nothing is too much for you honey.”
“Hmmmm, well, I like this dress a lot better, maybe with some black heels.”
Monique pointed to a very sophisticated knee length red dress. It was beautiful, but not Monique Parker beautiful. Like Pierre always said, “Monique must wear something Unique”. This dress was stunning, but not Monique-unique. “How pathetic,” she thought, “I can’t even wear what a want.” Her life was dominated by fashion experts, hairstylists, makeup artists, and her manager Pierre. She never made her own decisions, and she thought it was about time she started.
“You know what Pierre; I’m just not going to go tonight.”
As I said it, thousands of pounds were miraculously lifted off her shoulders. She was finally getting what she actually wanted.
“Oh, Monique, you stop that, this is the party of the year!”
“I’m just not into this anymore. I’m serious; I’m done with all of it, signing, partying, singing cds, I’m done!”
“Monique, darling, maybe you just had a rough day. You skip the party tonight, go home and rest, and we can start over at the studio tomorrow?”
“No, you don’t understand, I’m going to college. I’m going to become a teacher.”
She could hear the chorus singing joyously in her head “HHHHAAAALLLEEELLUUUGGGHHHIIAAA HALELUGHIA!” as took off the hideous army boots and parrot dress. She put back on her sweats and she was happy to be herself again. Tomorrow she wouldn’t have to be someone else, Unique Monique: number one pop artist, just herself, Monique Parker: future elementary teacher.