Strawberry Outcast

Strawberry Mansion

         "Do you live near Strawberry Mansion?" Such a simple question. Did I live near Strawberry mansion? Well, that depends on what is near and what is far? Most people would say once you hit the old broken-down bricks that are 10 miles out from Strawberry mansion, meant that you lived in Strawberry Mansion. While other people would say it only counts once you see the rusted fences only 2 blocks away from our deserted suburban town. It was our own personal hole in the ground. A place where all the adults have grown up and are supposed to be running the streets with kids of their own but, can't because of all the gun violence in the area. It was a very interesting town though, to say the least.

       It's where I had my first broken bone. I was running past a construction site and there was a hole that was never fixed. It sent my feet tripping on rocks and sent my body skidding all the way to the front of the Sullivan Progress Shopping Mall. A terrible place if I do say so myself, and I do. When I was young, they were just starting to try to rejuvenate the town, to bring in new people as they say. But I hate new people, especially these types of people. They were so rich and so full of themselves; I could barf on the thought as we speak. I don't think I could ever quite understand why they would put a place like this in our perfectly quaint rubble of a town. Tax payers dollars, I guess.

       It was sad to see, people changing their standards for money, doing things they said they would never do. But look at me now. I'm only a few years older than of that time when I broke my bone. No longer sitting but standing at the site of what was now Sullivan Progress Shopping mall. I feel like I broke an oath that I had made with myself as I walked in the door.

       I just wanted to get my watch fixed. Diamonds & Watches was my target, also known as D&W. It was a medium sized store hiding in the left wing of the over grown mall. The store was having a huge sale on all things metal and attached to the wrist. So, watches. 55% off on repairs and 60% off if you just gave them your old broken watch in exchange for a new shiny one.

     It was going to be fine. I wouldn't stay there long enough for their idle remarks to rub off on me. I was only there for the deal and hopefully I would be quick, hopefully. I was trying to convince myself.

       Alas, as soon as I got in the platinum, highbrow, watches store. I was hit with the disturbing comments of the fancy mall clerk. "Do you really live near Strawberry Mansion?" So much disgust and sarcasm in one sentence. I didn't expect the workers here to be as bad as their potential customers.

      "No." I decided that would be my answer because I actually lived in Strawberry Mansion not near or far from Strawberry Mansion. Also, I thought if I said no the cashier would give me a bigger discount. Maybe she would think I came from a place far away, you know, knock down the price some more because I was a visitor to her lovely town. However, in actuality it just brought on an onslaught of questions. "So, what brings you here?" Another disgusted remark as she looks my clothes up and down. I guess it wasn't up to par with their designer name brands.

      "I need my watch fixed, you do that here right?" I placed the old watch on the table "with a watch like this I'm surprised you came to our store." The clerk said as she examined my rusty clunker with gears flying astray.

     I didn't care what she thought, that watch was special. It was my grandmothers most idolized piece of jewelry. And even though, my grandmother was a very rich woman, this piece was the most special piece she owned. It was passed down from generation to generation and only in the last year she allowed her precious air loom to be given to me. I still remember her soft wrinkly hands as she gently shook the watch into my hands. She looked me in the eyes with so much hope, she trusted in me and because of that I had earned her trophy. So, I couldn't just let the old thing break. I had to take care of her watch because letting it break down, to me, meant letting her down. So, no matter the troublesome situations, I'd have to get this done.

       "Can you fix it or not?" I stare at her annoyed. "Yes, that will be 122 dollars and you can come pick it up tomorrow...that won't be a problem will it?" I look at her knowing she thinks I couldn't pay the fee. People like her shouldn't be in Strawberry mansion. My grandmother would have been disgusted if she knew people like this were in Strawberry Mansion. She knew that this place was old and broken down but, she stayed because the people were good. The people were always the best thing in strawberry mansion. We understand how to treat people, how to have taste, and character. And importantly, what most people don't know is that we have money, we just use it on people, not trophies. And so, the one thing we know most of all, is how to make an unkind, inconsiderate, money grabbing monkey do its dance. At this point I had to make an example of that.

       I pay her at once and her eyes light up like stars. Then, offer her something that would make any monkeys tail go crazy. "If you can have it done in 2 hours, I'll give you a 20-dollar tip." and what do you know; Within a few hours she comes back begging for her money like a dog, wanting its owner to throw the ball again. Dance monkey dance. At this point my task is done. Yet, before I leave, the clerk has one small ignorant observation about a passerby gliding by the front of the store. It was an older woman with her grandchild strolling by joyfully with interlocking hands. The older woman looked tired; It was obvious she didn't want to be here either. Still, you can tell she powered through because of the happiness it brought to the too young to understand child. They were wearing beatdown rags and dusty shoes that had the scent of playing in fields along with many games of tag and catch all over them. It was sweet. The time they spent together was expressed on their bodies.

       And this clerk was why I hated this store, "ugh, dirty people." Were the worlds that mumbled out her mouth. I was ready to scream, how can people like her be so oblivious to the stories people wear on their sleeves?! How do you not understand that there is character behind every stain or rip?! With ferocity in my mind, I go back to the front desk, changing my expression to a huge smile. "oh, your back." The clerk's tone was still in loathing and detest when referring to me, what a shocker. My sarcasm would like me to protest. "Yes. I need something else; Can you get for me a 16,200 32mm full diamond roman dial Rolex." It's a seven-thousand-dollar watch. Her eyes widened with shock, just like I thought they would.

     Now to set the bait. "I'll also pay you 10% tip of what the watch is worth if you can bring it to me within 5 minutes." She scrambled to the back, letting the glossed floor squeak beneath her feet. I let out a slight chuckle knowing that she would have to go through a lot to get that watch. Because, all stores that keep the expensive stuff never bought, in the deep back. It's usually under boxes and boxes and BOXES of heavy items to be sold. Glorious.

     I continue to stand at the desk watching my now fixed watch count down to the last tick of a second when I hear tons of boxes tumble to the ground with a mixture of mini screams and yelps of frustration. The clerks tiny castle had fallen, and I knew that would be a pain to clean up.

      Slowly some of the fallen boxes started to shuffle and move out of the way to the front desk; The clerk was limping back to the wide but short cashier desk just inches from me. Her head was covered with tiny cuts and a huge bump that would definitely turn into a even bigger bruise. However, that didn't stop her from talking like a sporadic caged animal. "I found it- It's too heavy for me to carry out here and it's stuck behind a lot of boxes but I- ". She was desperately trying to find a way to save her ten percent.

      Alas, at this point I cut her off and say the worse, most harmful thing you can say to a clerk at a highbrow watches store. "I want to speak with your manager."

      She began to panic, if her boss knew how much money she had lost the store in less than five minutes she would definitely lose her job which was probably the only accesses she had to look and act like she was apart of their so called 'elite' society. The look on her face was all I needed. Nothing more nothing less. I had already spent more than the quick second that I wanted in this cesspool of a building. So, I just laugh and turn. I take my watch and walk away.

      Hoping, to never come back, to Sullivan Progress Shopping Mall. The one place that should have never been in Strawberry Mansion.