Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Excellent genes

"Wow, you really pack it away don't you?", she questions me.
"Of course! If you are hungry, eat up..is what I say". I shine my smile on her.
I now see her picking through her food. Then she breathes in deeply and asks the waiter to take it away. I still am eating my third course in the meal. I signal the waiter to bring in the dessert. Mocha lava cake with strawberry ice cream. I sit and savour each spoonful of heaven.
She says, "My treat" and grabs the check before I could lay hands on it. Fine by me.
"I have never seen you exercise. And yet you put it all away. How do you do it?"
"Oh well! Excellent genes." I smile back.
She says she will drop me. I negate it and hitch a cab. I tell the driver my destination. He looks up and down at me and his faces lights up in recognition. And gives an conspirational smile. I hate it when they do it. Like they know my secret.
I get down, pay the cab, tip him pretty well. Encouraging him to think what he wants to. I walk in to the building. "00" is the name. I go around the reception, there is a heavy waiting crowd.The girl there waves at me. I go in to the cubicle. And change my dress.
The doctor comes in. "How are you?" And shows his pearly whites. I shrug at him. I hate this part. The part where he pretends that I am a new customer.He has my chart from the previous visits. My body is my temple. Nipping, tucking, sucking, lifting, pinning-all of it regular procedures. I come in regularly at least thrice a year. I also schedule visits for Botox and teeth whitening.
Excellent genes, my ass.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

I love you but...

I can not remember my last conversation with you.
I woke up this morning and tried recollecting what we had spoken the last time. I can not remember. What I remember is that you wore a grey dress with a blue belt. You decided to pin a small red flower in your hair because you were feeling adventurous. You smelled of Chanel no 5. I hated that perfume. You wore black heels and you still had to stand on tip toes to kiss me and you wrinkled your nose after that. But I can not remember the words.
I know we had cereal for breakfast. You weren't sure if it would stay down since you were in the first trimester. I coaxed you into drinking orange juice. You stuck out your tongue at me and you drank the juice. You touched my face and said something. I can not remember.
It was 20 minutes after this you left. We spoke a lot, we usually did. But I can not remember what we spoke.
I am now in a panic. I rush to the bathroom. The bottle of perfume is almost empty. I spray some into the air and take a deep sniff. I then come out to the bedroom with the bottle in my hand and go to your closet. I touch the clothes, feel the sleeve of a jacket and rub my cheek on a stole.
We spoke of happy things, our future. The baby and the new house we'd put a down payment on. Reconnecting with your father. I now remember.
Your last words were "I love you, but you smell!"