Endangered
Rod Tanzol
“I just love shoes!” Sarah cheered gleamingly into her microphone. The camera captured the twinkling of her eyes. Cisco could not resist her every heed. Sarah proceeded to send to Cisco links of her favorite shoes.
There was no testosterone left in his system; he gladly looked at the various shoes and commented appropriately. “I like these,” he said as he sent the link back to Sarah.
“Aren’t they cute?” Sarah giggled.
Cisco agreed, “Yes! Should I order this pair for you?”
“Thank you! I love you! You’re the best!” she averred. Cisco placed the order. Sarah would receive them in about five business days. Sarah quickly disconnected all communications with Cisco. She was content. She was getting new shoes, and she had the rest of the day to do what she had to do. However, her joy quickly subsided to grief. She went to sleep early that night.
-|—|-
A week had passed, and Sarah had felt various ups and downs. One afternoon, the deliveryman rang the doorbell. Mrs. Cruz answered the door. She signed for the package. She put it on Sarah’s bed. She texted her daughter, “You have a delivery.”
Sarah was at Nikki’s. The pair went through their backyards and the fence to get to Sarah’s house. They went through the kitchen, then upstairs, and then to Sarah’s room. Sarah ripped open the package to find a shoebox. She unveiled a pair of faux crocodile pumps.
“They’re so beautiful!” Nikki cried out! “They’re so adorable! It almost makes me not hate your boyfriend,” she yelled aloud.
Sarah put her hand to Nikki’s mouth and whispered angrily, “Be quiet! My parents don’t know about him!” Sarah removed her hand.
Nikki laughed in a quiet manner, “How do they not know about him? He sends stuff to you all the time!”
“They think that I spend all day in my room on my computer entering sweepstakes,” Sarah explained.
“Are they that gullible?” Nikki asked.
“Sadly, my parents are, but Casey knows.”
“Won’t she use it against you?”
“I don’t have to worry. I’ll just lie to my dad and say that she’s pregnant. My boyfriend is hundreds of miles away in another country for Christ’s sake. My dad’ll worship me like I’m the Virgin Mary. ”
“What’s with Dominicans worshipping Mary?” Nikki asked jokingly.
Sarah’s face turned an ugly shade of red. She barked, “I’m Puerto Rican! Don’t you ever get that wrong!”
Nikki laughed hysterically. She asked, “Since when do you care?”
Sarah’s face went flat: -_-
She explained, “Since my dad painted the Puerto Rican flag on my ceiling. Look up!” Sarah pointed. She explained, “He thinks that I’ve been depressed because I’m not ‘in touch with my native culture.’”
Nikki looked at the red white and blue of the territory's commonwealth flag. Sarah continued, “For the love of Christ, I was born in America and raised by a Scottish woman. My father’s logic is impeccable. I’ve given up on trying to be more Puerto Rican.” The two girls laughed at the situation.
Sarah left her shoes on her bed, and the girls went back to Nikki’s. However, Sarah did not want to be at Nikki’s any longer. It was 7:00PM, and Sarah made up the excuse that she wanted to go to sleep early. Nikki understood that something was wrong, and that Sarah’s recent good mood was only a façade. She let Sarah go, but bid her, “I’m here if you need to talk.”
Sarah went home, curled up with her new shoes, cried a little, and went to sleep.
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