My Colorblind Life

I’m happy to call Sally Parton my life. Her pale skin, skim body, soft long blonde hair, and shining blue eyes make the guys walking by to stare at her. Even when my arm is around her, other men look at her. None of them attempt to talk to her. One man started to flirt with her when I was standing next to her. He left with a bloody nose.

Not only is she beautiful, but she’s a very smart girl with a heart of gold. When we met, I fell in knew I was in love with her. After three months together, I started thinking of a perfect was to propose to her. My first idea was to take her to a garden with so many colors that she would never forget it.

I asked if she would love to go there for a date. Sally tried to make up excuses.

“I have to work that day.” “I’m allergic to flowers.” “I think it’s going to rain that day.” “Why don’t we just stay in?”

Sure, I was mad at her for trying to make up excuses, but what I really wanted to know was why was she making up excuses. I told her to stop lying and tell the truth. After a few more dumb excuses, (“I think I’ll have something in the oven that night.” “I have to babysit.” “My waffle maker is broken. I have to get it fixed.”) she told me the truth.

“I’m colorblind.” She said it so softly I wasn’t sure I heard it right. Honestly, I didn’t think anything of it. I had no reason why she didn’t tell me or why she didn’t want to go on the date. Why I asked her, she broke into tears.

“I can’t see any bit of color. It’s all black and white to me. When I tell someone, they think I’m a freak and leave. I was scared to tell you because I didn’t want you to leave. And going to the garden. It means I won’t be able to see any of the colors. I know I sound selfish, but I don’t want to be left out.”

So I didn’t ask Sally to marry me that day. I didn’t leave her either. I told her that I love her for who she is. I loved her for her major flaw. A month later, we moved in together.

That’s where we are now. Ten months after we’ve gotten together, we love each other and live together. It’s perfect except for the fact that she doesn’t have a diamond ring on her ring finger.

Today was a bright spring day. The sun was shining, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the flowers were blooming in so many colors, I couldn’t even identify some. Sally sat outside on the porch, watching kids ride their bikes and the flowers blow from the gentle wind. She sighed sadly as I sat next to her.

“I envy them all.” She said sadly. “They can see all the blues, greens, and yellows. My world is dark. I can’t even tell what color you’re eyes are, Ray.”

“My eyes are the same color as my hair, Sally. Both are a plain brown. I’m colorless compared to you. You’re blonde, blue eyes, and pale skin with rosy cheeks. You’re full of color.”

“But I can’t see it! I want to see color. I want to see what blue and blonde looks like.” She stopped and sighed sadly again. “Why am I colorblind? Why can’t I see any color? Why does no one else?”

“There are more than you. Millions of people can’t see any color. You’re not alone in the world, Sal.” I said trying to cheer her up. I failed.

“You don’t get it!” Sally yelled. Sally’s not perfect if you thought that. She’s really sensitive. “I don’t know anyone who’s colorblind! It’s just me! I feel so alone sometimes!” She paused as a tear fell. I put my arm around and held her tight. Sally rested her head on my shoulder and let the few tears fall. “Sometimes I wish that other people can see what I see.”

That’s when a light bulb appeared above my head. As Sally soaked my shoulder, I came up with the perfect way to let people see what Sally sees. To make things better, I found out how I could ask Sally to marry me.

Later that night, after Sally had gone to bed, I snuck out to my friends place. Danny loved making YouTube videos and dressing up in weird outfits for he could get fans. He’s gone as far as cross dressing and painting himself orange and walking around town.

“You sure Sally will be up for this, Ray?” Danny asked as he dug into his closet to find temporary hair dye in a can.

“She wants people to see what she does. I don’t care if people hate what we’re gonna do, be freaked out, or laugh they’re ass off. They will know what it was like to see the world in nothing but black in white. Whether they now it or not they realize it, they will know.”

Danny found the spray and placed it in the box next to me. I looked inside to see grey spray dye, a black tux, a white and grey dress with matching gloves and high heels by it. Danny pulled a black, dust covered top hat from his closet.

“What about the background? How are you gonna make everything else colorless?” Danny yawned and whipped the dust off the top hat. He sneezed. “God I hate dust.”

“I’m not going to do anything to the background. People won’t really be looking at it anyways. Most likely, if people watch us, they’ll be too busy to see what’s behind us.

Danny placed the top hat on my head. I felt a few pieces of dust from inside fall and stick to my brown hair. I didn’t bother to pull the hat off and set it in the box. I let it sit on my head to make my hair gather its dust.

“This everything?” I asked Danny. Danny rubbed his eyes and looked in the box. “Tux, dress, hair spray, shoes, gloves, hat, enough body paint for three people. Yeah, seems-Wait! I almost forgot the most important thing.”

Danny ran out of his bedroom. I sat on his bed waiting for him to come back. While he was gone, I looked at the body paint. It looked like the perfect color of grey. I opened it and dipped my fingers in. My nails and fingers turned grey and lathered in the paint.

“You gotta rub it on.” I jumped slightly when Danny entered the room. “If you just throw it on, it’ll look like you gained thirty pounds."

I nodded to Danny and did was he said. With all the paint I had scooped out, most of my hand had turned grey. "Amazing."

"Yeah, the power of make-up." He brought his hand out and handed me a rose boutonnière. "I wish it could be grey, but I have no clue if they exist and painting this would most likely kill it."

I shrugged and took the boutonnière. The color of the rose was a perfect red. Unlike most boutonnieres, this one was real and perfect. It was beautiful and reminded me of Sally. Carefully, I set it in the box.

"I'll get going for you could get some sleep." I said picking up the box. Danny nodded a thanks and jumped in his bed.

"I'll be at the park tomorrow for I could record what happens. It's gonna be a great Youtube video." I said with a yawn as he fell asleep. I rolled my eyes. Danny would do anything for a subscriber.

I left Danny's apartment and jumped in the car. I had to get home before Sally woke up. One I got home, I hid the box in the closet, and climbed into bed next to Sally.

At nine o' clock, I woke up with the help from my alarm. Sally wasn't next to me when I woke up. Slowly, I got out of bed and looked around the house for her. She was in the kitchen, the box of grey make up and cloths in front of her.

"Sally?" I asked. Sally turned to me with a smile on her confused face. Her blonde hair looked as if it had been brushed without care. Her blue eyes tried and failed to show any emotion that wasn't confusion.

"What is this box for?" Sally asked turning her head back to the box. I smiled softly and walked to her. I pressed a small kiss to her cheek.

"Let me get breakfast, and I'll tell you."

After breakfast, I took out the dress and some make up. Sally still looked as confused as ever.

"You said that you wanted everyone else to see what you see every day for once. With Danny's help, I found a way to make that happen." Sally's face was stuck between confusion and joy. "Everything in this box is in black and white. The only color is red from the rose.

The joy in Sally's face was kicked out from it's roommate confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Would you like to go out on a date to the park, Sal?" I asked her with a grin. "Today, around noon?"
Sally smiled with me and nodded even though she was still confused.

"Great." I said a little louder than I wanted to be. "You'll need my help with the make up. When we finish dressing up, we could try out those dance moves you've been wanted to try out."

Three hours later, the paint was dried on both our bodies and we were putting out black and white formal cloths on. Sally refused to let me see her until her until she was ready. I was waiting outside the bedroom, everything but my hat on, practically ready to explode from waiting.

While I waited, I decided to check myself out once more. I looked at myself in the mirror that sat right next to the bedroom. Every part of my body that was showing was painted grey. My shaved hair was sprayed grey. My brown eyes were even covered by grey contacts. The only thing that wasn't grey was the boutonnière, which sat safely on my chest. My tux and white gloves made me feel like a magician. Add the hat and I might as well put on a magic show.

Before I checked over my pants and shoes, the door opened. I turned my head from the mirror to see Sally step out of the room shyly. My jaw fell open. Sally stood there looking like a perfect grey angel. Her hair was sprayed grey and rested in a bun. Her white and grey dress stuck to her perfect body. Her high heels made her an extra inch taller. She looked perfect.

"You are so beautiful." I said taking her hand. Sally smiled and my hand. With her other hand, she took my hat off the end table under the mirror and placed it on my head.

"You do too, Mr. Magician." She said with a chuckle. I smiled and laughed sarcastically before kissing
her lips, careful not to mess up the make up.

"Shall we go to the park?" I asked. Sally nodded walked to the front door, never letting go of my hand.

The park was filled with kids playing, people walking their dogs, couples walking hand in hand, and
Danny standing there with a camera, taping everything everyone did. When he saw Sally and I, he smiled and gave us a thumb up.

The weather was the same as the day before, the sun shining and only a few clouds in the sky. I was a perfect day for a dance.

We walked hand in hand. People stared at us and started to whisper as we walked by. I ignored them and kept walking. Sally wasn't ignoring them as well as I was, but she was trying.

"This is the place." Sally said when we got near a stream. She stopped and took both my hands. "This is the perfect spot to show off our dance moves."

I agreed with her and got on one knee. Sally giggled slightly, but took my hand when I held it out. People were already starting to stare at us. I stood up with Sally's hand still in mine. She wrapped her arms around my neck and I wrapped mine around her waist. Slowly, we started to move.

We weren't the best dancers. All we could do was dance like the bride and groomed danced at weddings. We danced slowly together, following each others movements. Our eyes were locked together as we danced, ignoring everyone around us.

I picked Sally off her feet carefully, and spun her around in circles. She laughed and begged me to put her down. Once she was back on her feet, I took note of how many people were around us.

The kids playing had stopped and stared at us. Most of the little boys were confused. Nearly all of the little girls had smiles on their faces as they watched us dance together. The dog walkers had stopped walking their dogs and watched us. Some of their dogs tried to keep walking. Others sat there, looking in the same direction as their owners. Danny had his camera out and recorded us dancing slowly. Almost all of the couples were smiling.

I took Sally's hand and put the other hand around her waist. She followed me by wrapping her arm around my own waist. We danced slowly, careful not to step on each others feet.

We danced like this for a long time. I lost count of time when she wrapped her arms around my neck again and rested her head on my shoulder. We could've gently moved with each other for a three days and I probably wouldn't notice.

I pulled away from Sally and got back on one knee. Sally kept her soft smile on her face when she raised an eyebrow. My hand reached to my pocket, my eyes never leaving hers. My fingers wrapped around the box that was there. Slowly, I brought it out and opened it without looking down at it.

Sally's eyes had moved from mine to the box. When I held it out for her, she gasped with surprise before grinning an ear to ear smile.

"Will you marry me, Sally?" I asked with a grin. A tear of joy fell down Sally's face as she nodded.

"I've been waiting for this day for a long time. Of course I'll marry you, Ray!" It was my turn to grin ear to ear. The question I've been wanting to ask her was finally asked and answered with a big yes.

I pulled the black glove off of Sally's arm, smugging some of the grey make up as it slipped off. Carefully, I put the large diamond ring on Sally's finger. When she hugged me with tears running down her face, I knew that I had done two great things today.

I made people see what Sally sees every day and my life became my wife.