Dedicado, de nuevo, a la invencible Cristina Fallarás (@fallaras). Leed A la puta calle (http://www.sigueleyendo.es/a-la-puta-calle-2/)
“It’s all about threes.” Luisa tapped the pen against Cath’s wrist. “It’s the third bounced check that’ll nail you.”
“It’s all about threes.” Luisa tapped the pen against Cath’s wrist. “It’s the third bounced check that’ll nail you.”
“Third time lucky.” Cath smiled. “I always loved the
number three.”
“Three on a match,” said Luisa. “You remember that? We
thought we’d get pregnant.”
“Worrying about getting pregnant, then worrying about
not,” Cath said. “Seems like all we did by growing up was change one worry for
another.” She fanned the pile of bills due and letters from the bank and hit
the panic button. “They’re gonna take the house, aren’t they, Lu?”
“It’s the third month’s unpaid rent that lets them
evict you, the third defaulted mortgage payment that forecloses your home,” Luisa
quoted. She put the pen down and stroked Cath’s hand until she stilled it. “Third
on a match,” she repeated. “Remember how we used to go bowling, and there was
that team that practiced in the last lane?”
“They were so good.”
“Remember how they teased us about getting a turkey,
and we thought it had something to do with getting pregnant, that they were a
bunch of pervs?”
Cath nodded. “And Holly’s mother wouldn’t let her come
for a whole month.”
Luisa took up the pen and pulled the scratch pad
toward her. “Well, sometimes your luck turns and you get three strikes in a
row. Almost nobody knows how or why. You just get lucky.” She began going over
the sums one more time, determined to find a way out.
“Three strikes in a row for a turkey,” Cath said. “But
in baseball, it’s three strikes, you’re out.” She rubbed at her eyes. “I already
owe everyone and their brother money.”
Luisa stood and stretched. “You know what my Abuelita
used to say? ‘Donde comen dos, comen tres’.”
She gave Cat’s shoulder a squeeze. “There’s always room for one more.”
Cat leaned her head onto her friend’s sharp hipbone. “I
know, Lu, and I’m grateful.” She looked up to head off a hiccup. “But for how
long?”
Beautifully rendered, kymm. How many scenes like this are playing out in the wake of all those austerity measures while the banks returned to reap profits? Not a single banker was evicted from their home, I would venture to guess. A dystopian world.. Thoughtful, insightful, lovely writing. I love your work.
ReplyDeleteWow, Steph, thanks for all the love!
DeleteThis is the second story dedicated to a friend of mine, a prize-winning crime novelist and journalist whose book I mention chronicles her fall: from being fired from her position as managing editor of one of Barcelona's free newspapers when she was 8 mos pregnant, to the resulting odyssey of being evicted from her home, along with her 10 year old and 4 year old, as it is being repossessed by the bank for defaulting on mortgage payments.
No paycuts for bankers over here, anyway!
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ReplyDeleteAll those beautiful threes. You know the way to our heart:)
ReplyDeleteWell, I had to suck up a bit after abandoning you this past month!
DeleteThis is great work with the prompt. I think you get extra credit for all of the three references haha
ReplyDeleteThanks, Draug! You may not believe all the threes I ended up cutting!
DeleteI want three to be a lucky number for these two! Life is just so hard and unfair for some people.
ReplyDeleteAnd when I have the hiccups, if I can swallow three times without taking a breath they go away.
Great piece of writing Kymm! I always love coming here to see what you've come up with:)
Three seems to be a toss-up as far as luck is concerned (maybe even moreso in Spanish!)
Delete*swallows ten times*
Thank you so much, Valerie! I love that you always come here < 3
Third time's the charm, they say. I loved Luisa's optimism, even in the face of reality.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope so. But optimism should get them even farther than luck might. Thanks, Tina!
DeleteI love how you give us glimpses into their long history together. Their friendship is a beautiful contrast to the current struggles. Another great piece!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ivy! I wanted to reflect how the small bonds can resist the large disasters. Glad their history came across.
DeleteThings come in threes! “Seems like all we did by growing up was change one worry for another.” this line s so true. I like their friendship!
ReplyDeleteThings come in threes... Except when the other shoe drops... haha
DeleteThanks so much, Gina!
What a touching story this is with so much wisdom woven in. And the line about changing one worry for another. That's all adulthood really is when you look at it that way! Just a wonderful story as usual, Kymm!
ReplyDeleteI find adulthood is often not all it's cracked up to be!
DeleteThank you so much, Linda! I'm glad you liked it.
I agree that this was a wonderful tapestry of threes and the relationship between these two was so strong, making those last two lines especially tender.
ReplyDeleteOh sure, you like the threes, but then all you talk about are twos!!! lol
DeleteGlad the strength of their relationship came through.
Thank you for your lovely comment, Jennifer!
Ouch, a painful story, for sure. But very real. Great little piece, Kymm!
ReplyDeletePainful not to feel able to do anything about it!
DeleteThank you so much, Christine!
So tenderly written - a tale of true friendship. Lovely use of three.
ReplyDeleteHaha - a bit overboard with the threes... Thank you, Sarah!
Deletevery moving
ReplyDeleteNice to hear that, Steve. Thank you!
Delete"It's all about threes." Great opener. Things really do come in threes a lot. :)
ReplyDeleteYup, good and bad things. Thanks, Jody!
DeleteThat's a sign of a great friendship. We all need someone to look on the bright side when everything looks bleak.
ReplyDeleteEverything´s a little easier when it's shared. Thanks, Janna!
Delete