Adventures in bra-lessness.

The day started out great. I went to the gym at 7:30 AM and did 45 minutes on the elliptical. I'm really trying to lose weight and I am committed to that.

When I finished showering I reached outside of the stall for my towels and they were not hanging on the hook. I looked down and noticed a towel on the floor. I screeched "who took my other towel?" I really didn't want to put on a towel that had been on the floor but I had to. My wet hair was dripping everywhere and I needed my second towel. I got out the shower rounded the corner and I see a black girl standing on a towel. I could see the guilty look on her face. I'm pretty sure she took my towel. But you know we don't need people making public false accusations now do we?

I calmed myself down and tried to remember that it's just a small thing. I was annoyed at the inconvenience. I ended up putting on my hoodie and sweatpants and running out and getting another towel. I started to get dressed and realize I didn't put a bra in my bag. There is no way in the world that Aisha should be walking around without a bra. I'm mad uncomfortable but I need to get to work for a meeting at 9AM. Soon as I walk out the gym the sexual harassment starts. There was no way to hide the bounce even with my hoodie on. In a 5 block walk I got holla'ed at 4 times. This includes the cab driver who pulled over and rolled his window down to talk to me.

I get to work and have my meeting but everyone kept asking me what was wrong. They could see on my face that I was uncomfortable. When I had a break, I ran across the street to Macy's to find a bra. I'm lucky that it was that easy to remedy the problem. I find a sale bra in my size. I approach the counter and the cashier says, "I can't remember if it's still tax free day. Let me call security." I was puzzled as to why she would call security. Security didn't know and they wouldn't even tell her to whom she was speaking. Then she saw some stockboys and tried to get their attention and they wouldn't talk to her. She laments in her best urrea accent, "I don't know why they couldn't just say they didn't know. Why did they have to ignore me? If I was a white man they would have answered. But that's okay because Jesus still loves them and so do I." I stood there thinking that this is what it would be like if my "Ghetto Sister" had a job in retail.

The cashier calls around to other departments but no one answers. At this point at least 5 minutes have passed and I'm getting rather impatient. I just wanted to say just charge me tax "I don't care I'm only going to save 99 cents." The only reason I didn't do it was because I wasn't feeling that confident without a bra on. Finally she calls the "big boss" to find out about tax free week. He confirms that there is no tax. I pay my $9.99 and start to hurry off since people at work have no idea where I went. The cashier tells me to wait because she wants to give me some coupons for my patience. She gives me four 20% off coupons and it's tax free week...holla.


The last subject for today. I think I changed ethnicities again. In the past two weeks I've been asked many times if I was Ethiopian or people have just walked up to me speaking Ahmaric. This includes a toothless, afroed, trench coat wearing, homeless looking man who I swear was going to steal me or my purse. I was trying to tell him I was not Habesha but I couldn't find the words because I was scared. This was part of the reason the cab driver tried to hunt me down this morning. He thought I was one of his country women. I'm not sure why I go through varying states of exoticism. It's made for an interesting time on the east coast.