The Woman in The Mirror

photo by arantxa villa

The Woman in The Mirror

fourth year mary k. schmittou

May 2005: In the mirror stands a woman.She must be six feet tall with her stilettos on. Her long blonde hair cascades over her shoulders. An absolute bombshell. She moves effortlessly– making her airline uniform visible beneath her lab coat. She is a pilot-veterinarian, saving all the puppies and kitties up in the stratosphere. A respectable profession, she earns roughly a bajillion dollars a year– affording her the castle she stands in.

May 2012: In the mirror stands a woman. She isn’t quite as tall as the first, but still an absolute bombshell. Her long hair in a voluminous braid reminiscent of Katniss Everdeen. She wears a monochromatic khaki set, not unlike that of Steve Irwin– her idol. Behind her is some sort of jungle-like scene, as she appears to be onsite for her work, saving endangered species like the Panthera tigris and Ailuropoda melanoleuca. 

May 2018: In the mirror stands a woman. Even shorter than the last, 5’7” at best. She wears stilettos like the first, but rather than an airline uniform and lab coat, she wears a blazer and slacks… a power suit if you would. She’s fixing her lipstick in the mirror of her 15-floor office building, preparing to make her debut as president of the company. 

May 2022: In the mirror stands a woman. Standing 5’7” and wearing a pair of 70s inspired clog heels. Her cap and gown neatly steamed, the tassels hanging on the ??what side do tassels go on before graduating?? She doesn’t have an enviable career… at least not yet anyway, but she is on her way.