Finally I replied, "Hey, let me call ya back. Ok?”
“Sure. Talk to ya later.” Then he hung up. I put the phone back on the receiver. Of course I wasn't going to call him back. I wasn’t a bit interested in going anywhere with this guy. A few minutes later my sister came out from her bedroom.
“So who was that?” she asked, while sitting next to me on the couch.
“Some guy I should have brushed off. Instead I ended up giving him my phone number. He was nice, though.”
“Every guy you meet is nice but sneaky. They see a single female and want to get with you. You shoulda told him you were straight.”
“Well we started talking and he seemed like a cool person to talk with. But instead he invites me to his house.”
For once can I talk to guy without him trying to get with me? Like this one, I seem to come across sneaky fellas. The type of guys who are desperate enough to spend time with me doing absolutely nothing while thinking a single female such as I might change her mind.
The phone rang again. I hope it’s not the same guy calling back, I thought to myself. My sister picks up the receiver. “Hello?” She shouts into the phone. “Hey, girl! Are you on your way over here?” Yes! It was one of her friends. They had made plans to go to THE MOON that night.
“So are you going to remain glued to that couch or come clubbing with me?” my sister asked after ending the phone conversation with her friend. “She’s on her way over.”
Usually I find myself as the third wheel whenever the three of us are going out. But that night I did not feel up to it. The vision of the last club I was invited to invaded my mind. Loud music, people smoking and drinking, women and men flirting while dancing like the people in the videos. Sweat pouring from the faces of those who refuse to leave the dance floor. Most guys are intimidates by single females in a college town. Men aren't sure what women want but they intend to do everything they can to get that single female.
“I hate to disappoint you, sis. But I’d rather waste my night on the sofa than have men grinding on me all night.” While pointing to the television, “Besides I’m sure there are some good movies coming on later.” After grabbing for the remote control, I started flipping through the channels.
Standing from the sofa and twirling around “Hey what do you think about this outfit,” my sister asked me. She was wearing a white, silky thin-strapped blouse, Baby Phat brand navy blue pants and white three-inch heels. “Is it too dressy or casual?”
Since my sister and I have the same taste in wardrobe and occasionally borrow one another’s clothing, her outfit looked perfect for a night of clubbing. Inside the clubs, fluorescent colors often give off a glowing sensation while dancing under the ultraviolet lights. That type of attention is something I know my sister enjoys when she’s out having fun with her friends.
“Your outfit is fine but maybe you should put on a sweater to cover those skinny shoulders,” I laughed jokingly.
“Oh, you got jokes. Huh? She walked toward my bedroom.
“I know it’s warm indoors but the weather is too cool,” I said giving her some advice.
She walks back into the living room wearing one of my favorite overcoats with the silver buttons trailing down the middle. Not only have I’ve worn that coat once but also she wasn’t going to have some clubber spill their beverage nor reek smoke all over it. My eyes bulged from their sockets. Out of all the jackets, coats, and sweater she decides to wear that one, I thought.
“Out of all things you decide to wear that one, huh?” I asked.
“Sure, why not? It does go well with my outfit. Anyway you said so yourself my shoulders are too skinny for the cool weather.” She imitated me.
. There’s a knock on the door, which scares us both.
“Please answer that while I finish getting dressed,” she asked.
As if she wasn’t completely clothed, my sister hurries into her bedroom. I lifted myself off the sofa and walk towards the front door. First I looked through the peephole before opening the door even though we were expecting her arrival. These days you still have to be cautious.
“Hey. How’s it going?
“Fine and you?
“Chillin’. Come on in.”
I gestured for her to enter the apartment. We made our way back into the living room. Since this isn’t her first time coming to our home, she immediately heads for the guest couch.
“Would you like something to drink before I sit down?” I asked.
“Sure. What do you have in there?”
Going back to towards the door I made a left into the kitchen. I opened the refrigerator door and glanced around to see what kind of beverages we had to offer our guest.
“Let’s see. Ummm. We have some orange juice, kool-aid, bottled water, and cranberry juice. Oh yeah. I about some peach chardonnay to get the night started.” I smiled at her. We usually have a sip to drink before heading out to the club. That way we’d feel more relaxed and warmed up while waiting in line.
“Sure but just a sip. Remember I’m driving.” She reminded me. I grabbed the bottle of chardonnay from the refrigerator then poured three glasses nesting on the countertop. I returned to the living room with the glasses cupped in my hands.
“Here ya go.” I hand her one of the glasses.
“Thanks.” She accepts the glass and takes a sip. My sister comes from her bedroom as if she was awaiting her cue to enter the living room.
“Heyy.” She looks at the glasses tipped at our lips. “Look at ya getting drunk before we go out,” speaking to her friend.
“It’s just a sip besides you’re the one that usually have the most drinks by the end of the night, anyway,” her friend replied.
“So but you’re driving.” Looking at her cellular phone, my sister recognizes the time. “Let’s go before it gets too late.” She grabs her glass and gulfs it down quickly.
Her friend gets up from the sofa then they head for the front door.
“Y’all have fun at the club, aight?” I shouted from my position on the couch.
“Yeah, see ya later,” they shouted back in unison. I could hear laughter outside the apartment as they made their way down stairs.
The night was still young and there was no other place I’d rather hang around, while I relaxed.
In comparison to Romero’s Shirt, Juan and I are different from our residents and friends. Instead of leaving my apartment to go out clubbing, I decided to stay home. Instead of leaving El Paso to find work with higher wages, Juan worked several jobs to earn a living for him and his family. He taught himself to appreciate all the things he worked hard for to get the best things out of life. Like Romero, I appreciate my home and its comfort.
While living in El Paso, Juan Romero was satisfied with these living conditions. He valued all its possessions and kept everything well organized. He felt safe around his property, trustworthy enough to leave his favorite shirt lying around on the juniper. Well with my house I trust my guest to treat it with respect alone with other things in the apartment. In Romero’s Shirt, other residents decided to leave to make more money probably having similar jobs to Romero.
After losing his shirt, Romero felt robbed of such a prized possession like a piece of jewelry or a car. Allowing the old man to work for him seem like a good idea at the time for Romero. Many times, we do someone a favor and at the end, we lose something so precious to us. On the other hand, after realizing his shirt was missing, Romero labeled the old man as a suspect. Even though the shirt was gone before the old man had even arrived, he still felt like someone had set him up. There are times when one of my things are missing or ruined and my sister is the one I looked first to blamed. Even after the fact that someone was just over at the apartment she’s accused as the guilty one.
At the end, we are not sure whether Romero would continue to feel safe around his property or take severe precaution. Well since I don’t have that many people over, especially all at once, I’m aware of what’s going on inside the apartment.
