Little Miss Fishing-Compliment — "I Look Awful In This"

Lyrics

[Intro]
Before the door opens, there is the mirror.
A final check.
Not for a flaw, but for the story of a flaw.
She practices a slight frown.
A little tug at the sleeve of the cobalt silk.
Perfect.

[Verse 1]
She arrives at seven-fifteen.
The hostess says, "You look incredible."
And here, the bait is lowered into the water.
A little laugh, a wave of the hand.
"Oh, this old thing? Honestly, I feel like a mess in it."
"The color just washes me out, don't you think?"
The air in the entryway goes still.
A small transaction has been proposed.

[Chorus]
"No, really, I think I look awful tonight."
The line is cast.
And everyone, everyone must bite.
"Are you kidding? You're stunning."
"That color is perfect on you."
The compliments are reeled in, one by one.
A quiet ledger is filled.

[Verse 2]
Later, by the polished mahogany table.
Someone praises the lemon tart she brought.
"It's nothing," she says, "the crust is a disaster."
"I almost threw the whole thing out."
And again, the room holds its breath.
Waiting for the cue.
The script is handed out, and everyone knows their lines.
"It's the best I've ever tasted."

[Chorus]
"No, really, I think I made it all wrong."
The line is cast.
And everyone, everyone must bite.
"Are you kidding? It's perfect."
"I need the recipe right now."
The compliments are reeled in, one by one.
The quiet ledger is filled.

[Bridge]
What is the hunger, exactly?
The mirror's glimmer isn't enough on its own.
It needs a voice.
It needs a witness from the other side of the glass.
The reflection needs to be spoken into existence...
by a chorus of the unwilling.
A compliment you have to ask for...
does it even count?
Or is that the only kind that does?

[Outro]
She drives home, the cobalt silk a little wrinkled now.
The container for the tart is empty.
Her purse is full of praise she solicited.
She'll stand in front of the mirror again.
And for a moment, before the next performance is planned...
the room is very, very quiet.