Column XIII: The Uneasy World & Other Appetizers

Today, Blossom, Vanessa, Sarah, and I sat together for lunch at Maison Pickle after Vanessa’s shift at Nordstrom and Sarah’s 2 week trip in Mykonos with her boyfriend. 

“Ohhh, I can’t keep working at Nordstrom, everyone so uppy!”

“Girl, at least you have a job,” I replied after finishing my water.

“Right! Please be grateful that you have a job. I’m so stressed, but Mia is working on getting me a job at her spot…”

“Blossom…do you really want to work with the girl you’re fucking.” Vanessa tossed the menu.

“Yeah, I agree that doesn’t sound the best. Lol, like at all. You’ve been talking nonstop about how she is literally crazy.” I said while studying the menu.

“I LOVE HER!” Blossom slammed their hands down and declared. Me and Vanessa made faces between each other. Vanessa took deep breaths but I let my laughter loose, so should she. Blossom kept their head down as we passed joking punches to each other before they continued. “So y’all can be obsessed with down low dick and trades but I can’t be in love with my dream girl showing me around the city. Y’all are WACK as fuck!

“WOAH!”

“Damn!”

“At the very least…me and Sloane aren’t delusional about the men we are seeing…we are not in love with these dirty fools.”

“Yeah.” 

“Pleasee. Y’all are just two bitches telling each other exactlyyyy”

“Blossom please.” Vanessa put her menu over her face. Of course Vanessa knew that the boys we messed with didn’t love her nor did they care what she would make of her life. All those years of heartbreak taught her that she was the greatest love of all. Then, there is me. A young girl with eyes like the desert. What all seemed like yesterday felt like today.

How could a boy who is so obsessed with you but not truly love you? Are we all out here looking to be loved or just obsessed over?

“Hey ladies, are you ready to order?”

“Yes thank you. I’ll have the Chicken Parm à la Vodka Sandwich. For the table, I’ll get a pull-apart bread to enjoy before our meal. Oh and can I have a glass of wine.” Vanessa went first while me and Blossom made worried faces.

“Can I have the patty melt with a glass of water?” Blossom immediately handed the menu, to the waiter before going straight to texting on their phone, I peeked over to see who they were texting:

Mommy, can you please please send me 50 dollars???

“Anything for you-”

“Bonjour, bonjour.” 

“Bonjour? Babe, you were in Greece.” I said.
“Everyone in the world knows bonjour. The citizens in Greece speak more French than Greek. I think on a tour someone told me that.”

“That is so not true Sarah, but damn girl, you are late.” Vanessa crossed her arms. 

“I literally just got off the plane.” She flopped down in the booth next to Vanessa, putting her arm around her, “and I am sure you were late too.”

“No! Because I am always on time. If I was here who would hold the table.”

“I guess! I get it! What is everyone ordering?” Sarah zipped up her white Ralph Lauren hoodie.

“If you all need more time, I can come back-”

“No, no, no, we are ready, I love this place.  I would like the Tuna Nicoise for myself. For the table, the calamari, lobster escargot, a Bardolino Chiaretto bottle.”

“Sure, can I see IDs before?”

“Of course.” Sarah knew the perfect people for her fake, it scanned and looked as if she was 25 and not 20. She handed it over in confidence, so did Blossom and Vanessa who just graduated uni. I just sat with my head slightly down, praying that he would just move along from me. 

“Okay, everything looks all good. Would you like to eat something,” he asked me

“Hmmm, ummm, hmmm.” I really wanted so much to eat but I had no money. We all are young and looking for work. The idea that Gen Z doesn’t want to work is false, we just aren’t taking any shit! We just want  respect and a chance. Every hour of the day, I was sending applications for every entry service job, getting to the interview process, and an almost immediate rejection. Months ago, getting a job was all too easy and now all I did was make employers uneasy, and the rest of the world. I wanted to be confident like Vanessa, but she is now at a stage of her transition where she already survived years of uneasiness. But then again I think, as humans, when will life ever become easy and not uneasy?

“Sloane, get what you want,” Vanessa grabbed my hand while a small tear ran down my cheek, “I just got paid, please don’t feel bad about not having a job, babe.” Vanessa knew, Blossom felt, and Sarah tried. All 3 knew that transitioning would be a lot for me but experiencing the reality so close in front of them, made their hearts’ tender.

“Don’t worry y’all! I will cover everything. Bring the bottle please and by the time you get back, she will know what she wants to eat.”

“Sure thing”

“Okay hoe, now figure out what you want to eat.”

In life, one has to deal with the assortment of different tasks, loves, heartbreaks, and losses while attempting to carve out your own place in this uneasy world. Yet, we should always remember that the greatest love of all is community and your friends.