"Nancy. We're going. Get in the car."
I took a furtive sip of my mudslide, which Emily had poured into a Big Gulp cup. My stomach twisted as I settled into the backseat of the convertible.
"Woooo!" squealed Jessica, "That's my jam!" She lifted her hands in the air as Prince's "Pussy Control," blared from the speakers. I ducked---my seventh grade students were everywhere.
My husband had said, "You should go out with Steve's girlfriend, Marcy. She's a lot of fun."
He would be hearing about this. Or maybe not.
I took another long sip. A bit of ice clogged in the straw. I wiped my hands on my jeans, and tried to smile, laugh. I could be fun, too.
"Ahhhhh. Pussy Control!"" screeched Marcy from behind the wheel. We approached the intersection.
"We're almost here, bitches!" She took a quick left, and rear-ended a truck. A thud. An air bag. And Prince singing, "Better sit your ass down."
"OhShitOhShit," mumbled Marcy. She was sober, yes. But also an Air Force Airman. The Big Gulp cup rested heavy in my trembling hands.
The rear ended car drove away, as Marcy paged her boyfriend.
We sat in the parking lot, the marquee reading, "Home of Thunder Down Under."
It was to be my first trip to a strip club. But the universe, or perhaps Prince, had taken control.
20 comments:
Sounds like my 21st. Birthday all over again!! Great story!
Sounds like my 21st. Birthday all over again!! Great story!
oh, my!! You were not meant to go to that club! ;)
I love this. The grasp at trying to be like the person you were with, yet the real you trying to reason with that.
Great writing. I have missed visiting your words.
Sometimes something else taking control works out for the best. Sometimes it dampens our journey. Either way, it was meant to be.
I felt like I was shrinking in the backseat with you, with a gasp and a giggle. Also could feel the ice cold mudslide against Marcy's hot energy! :>
lolol, too funny!
You work a detail like no other.
I love the chunk of mudslide-ice clogging up the straw. Your ambivalence. Your determination to be fun, too.
And yet.
You can't out-control the universe. Or Prince, I suppose.
p.s. Every time "Feliz Navidad" comes on the radio, my 12-year-old daughter yells, "That's my jam!" Next time, I'll be smiling even wider when she says it...
You spin a good yarn here, as always, but the subtext is what's most amazing here. The idea of "you should go out with her, she's fun," the cringing to avoid the gazes of your students, the focus on the lyrics instead of the people in the car, the awareness... all of it telling an entirely different story.
Haha, I love your writing.
Funny mama!
My money is on the universe.
The only reason why Prince would stop you is because he was jealous.
And I'm dying over "Home of Thunder Down Under." Oh the mind reels.
Excellent.
This reminds me of the M Night Shamalan movie "Signs," a story about a man struggling to and finding his faith -- told through the lens of an alien invasion.
You know, your ability to find a minute detail pulls me into your work like no other. The ice in the straw is one of those details. The contrast between the "fun" details-Prince & convertibles & to-go cups and your hestitation & worrying about your students happening to see you is perfect. It adds a tenseness to the piece and makes the accident both inevitable.
I love conflict: Who Am I vs Who They Want Me To Be. This was quick and fun and so telling. Great job.
I think the universe had other plans. I too liked the conflict of Who I am vs Who they want me to be. And loved the mentioning of the students-like she couldn't escape her reality, even though she was trying.
It was the universe because I'm sure that Prince would have wanted you to go for sure!!
I was cringing in the back with you.
Trying to have fun. I believe it had to have been a relief of sorts to have Prince take control.
Great job-- You cracked me up too.
xo jj
Everyone needs a Marcy sometime :-)
Great post, choc-full of atmosphere. I was right there with you.
What a great read!
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