Friday, July 17, 2009

An Unordinary Stroll to the Mall

Who would've thought that a short three-block walk to the mall could be anything but ordinary?

I sure didn't.

It was late in the afternoon when my walk to the mall commenced. I passed by a car store when I heard someone yell out to me, "Hey, how ya doin' today?" I turned to see a dark-skinned man smiling at me. I politely smiled back and continued walking. About two seconds later I heard the same man say something along the lines of, "You part Filipina huh?"

My eyes widened as I ignored the man and crossed the street to the next block.

I was about a block away from the mall when someone else called my attention.

"Excuse me! Excuse me miss?" a feminine voice called out

I turned around, unsure if the lady was calling my attention.

"Where did you get that blouse?"

I looked down at the cheap black blouse I was wearing. Slightly flattered by the lady who thought my shirt was nice, I told her where I had bought the shirt, and encouragingly told her that blouses at that store were very affordable.

"About how long ago did you get it?" she asked.

I paused for two seconds, figuring out what to respond to that question, before saying, "about a month ago."

The lady said she had been looking for blouses like mine but had been unable to find any. She complimented me by saying that the blouse looked nice on me.

I couldn't help but saying "thank you."

The lady then began to reach into her bag.

"Here, let me give you my card..."

I suddenly lost my train of thought and wondered how in the world a conversation about where I got my clothes turned into the lady offering me a business card.

"Have you ever had a psychic reading before?" she asked, looking at me intently.

"Well, this is random," I thought to myself. If she was going to give me a business card I thought it might have been for a photography studio or a restaurant. Never in a million years would I have expected to receive a business card for psychic readings.

"Yeah, I have," I said, figuring she would have less to say to that response.

She started rambling on and on about my "family and friends" and how I might feel "confused." I unconsciously drowned out everything else she said to me. I was more focused on how such a casual conversation turned into a psychic offering.

"Why don't you get a free reading now?" she insisted.

"I actually have to go somewhere," I said.

"Okay," she said pointing at the card clutched in my hand, "you need to call me soon," she said.

I felt her looking at me fiercely. I nodded my head, said thank you, and walked off.

I immediately dropped the card into the first trash bin I saw at the mall.

That was the end of that.

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