Stitching Velvet : A Love Story To The Universe

Chapter 2

May
2nd, 1996
Dear Christian,

I'm writing this on a napkin because I'm working. I'd rather write to you than serve

old men their dead cows while they watch fox news on our little t.v. By the way, I became a vegetarian. Anyway, on to my virginity (or the lack of it).

I had hitchhiked my way to Tulsa where there was a concert for a local band I had wanted to see. I was with my little sister Moon about a year ago, and we were 13 and 15. I had on my boots and a floor length dress covered in sunflowers that was cut on the sides all the way up to my hips. My hair was green at the time, to my shoulders, and wavey. The guy who had picked us up didn't want any money, he was nice. He played Oasis and let me smoke a ciggarette and put my feet out the window.

When we got there I told Moon to go do what she wanted and meet me at The Center Of The Universe (a really cool peice of land which echoes because you're in the center of buildings) in 5 hours. She left to go shoplift for the first time outside of Dukshawnee, I'd never taken her to Tulsa before. As you know, the thrift shop, the two department stores, and the clothes section at the grocery store are the only places she had previously had stealing options, where as I, for about 3 months at that point, have figured out how to get downtown and she wanted to know where I've stolen all of my new clothes, hair dye, and music. Mom doesn't care. I let her walk around, yeah, but she had mace and she's a smart girl. She knows how to handle herself. At the time I'm writing this it's been about a year and a half since I first went downtown. It's only a 25 minute drive or so.

Here's how you get there. You walk down the road near the elementary school and you get near a wider road, then a walk for a while past a few houses and eventually you get to a fence. You hop over the fence and there's a highway. You stand by the highway with your thumb in the air or with a sign. You carry pepper spray. You ask for downtown Tulsa. Sometimes they want money. One time a guy wanted a blowjob and I sprayed him with pepper spray and just ran back to the fence.

I've seen the Performing Arts Center where they have musicals and plays. I saw some actors standing outside and they were all dressed in sparkling outfits and they looked all 1920's. I asked them what show they were doing and this guy with slicked back hair and suspenders said "Chicago." You've probably heard of it. I'm sure it's amazing. I'll take you there one day, and we'll see a show and then have sushi on Guthrie Green for food truck wendsday. Or whatever you want. I had sushi for the first time down there when I skipped school one wendsday.

You'll be IN a show one day, and I'll be in the front row. You'll wear something covered in glitter like in the final part of A Chorus Line. The lights will hit you and it'll be like a disco ball illuminating the whole theater and people will cry because you're so beautiful. When you come out at the end I'll clap until my arms fall off and you'll get flowers thrown at you. Then we'll go get pizza and sign autographs.

At the concert I went to that day I stood somewhere in the middle of a crowd of hundreds of people. It was like an ocean, besides grass, the only type of ocean you'll see here. There wasn't much clothing, it was an unusually hot day for mid march. I couldn't see the stage at all just hear the music and smell the sweat and weed from the crowd. My legs hurt, and I wanted to at least see The Leather Wolves if I had snuck in here.

I tap on a man's shoulder and I ask to sit on his shoulders. He's really buff and he smelled like beer. No, this is definetly not the guy I fucked. I asked him and he rudely told me I'd break his neck. Next, I see a drag queen standing at the edge. Nope, she isn't the one I fuck either. I practically swim my way to her. I said "can I sit on your neck?" and she said "Oh, ok you skinny little thing." She had on the highest pair of heels I'd ever seen and her fake breasts were spilling out but she let me. When I get on her and she stands up, I can see the stage.