Ruby asks where my old man is.
I say:
Which one?
Ruby asks about
the one with the black T-shirt.
I say:
Which one?
Ruby: Dark eyes,
hair, cigarette rolled up in sleeve. Eats sandwiches with me on the counter.
Me: Which one?
She gives up.
Sophie asks:
Do you ever wear, like, dresses?
Me:
Yeah.
Sophie:
When?
Me:
When I’m outta
here.
Ruby: Do you own
the store or only work here?
Me: Both.
Ruby: Are Lucky Strikes the best cigarettes?
Me: Yeah.
Ruby: Is one of
your boyfriends named Kent?
Me: Kenttown,
yeah.
Ruby: Kenttown?
Me: Kent... Towne.
Yeah.
Ruby: Black T
shirt? Sandwiches? Dark hair & eyes?
Me: Yeah, yeah,
yeah.
Ruby: How old is
he?
Me: Old enough.
Sophie: Would
you ever consider—
Me: Never. No.
Ruby: What’s
your favorite sandwich?
Me: BLT
Ruby: Really?
Me: No.
Ruby: What then?
Me: Tuna on rye
toast. Really.
Ruby: Would you
ever consider—
Me: No.
Ruby: --getting
a cat in here?
Me: I already am
a cat.
Pause. No
questions.
Me: I turn into
one at night when everybody goes home.
Ruby: What
color?
Me: Cinnamon
Ruby: What’s
your cat name?
Me: Cats don’t
have names when no one is around.
Ruby: Can we
make up one?
Me: No.
Sophie:
Kenttown. We’ll call her—
Me: I’ll throw
you out of here.
Sophie: Okay!
Okay. Sorry.
Ruby: Are you a
dancer?
Me:
Professionally?
Ruby: Yeah.
Me: No.
Ruby: Can I work
here?
Me: Absolutely.
Just tell me when you want to start.
Sophie: Can I
work here?
Me: No.
Sophie: Why not?
Me: Only room
for one of you.
Sophie: Rats.
Me: (& you’re
the opposite of cool).
Sophie: What?
Me: What?
Sophie: Did you
say something?
Me: No.
Ruby: If I work
here can I get some dangly earrings?
Me: If you work
enough hours to pay for ‘em.
Ruby: Cool—
Me: But if you
work here—
Ruby: Yeah?
Me: You can’t
ask me any more questions.
Ruby: Truly?
Me: Truly.
Ruby: Forever?
Me: And ever.
Ruby: Forever?
Me: And ever.
Ruby: Cyn! Yeah. Deal.
Woman’s
image: David McLeod, U. S. Army
Competition
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please be courteous and please do not post ads for your business on this blog.