Sequel: Palm Trees ›
Seashells
why are costumes so racist
October 26th, 2007
We emailed back and forth for a few weeks. The contents of these messages are nothing special, but it was getting easier to write to you. Minh said that was a good thing - I was getting more comfortable. Still, talking to you online was nothing compared to real life.
Then you told me you were moving. But I didn't live near you, so nothing would change, right? Apparently not. You weren't moving away from your hometown, just changing houses. And you wouldn't have internet for a while.
You told me you'd email as often as you could, but it would be hard because you would have to go to the library or a friend's house. And your parents didn't particularly approve of you leaving the house.
I told you it was fine, and it was, really. I still went on with my daily life. I checked everyday to see if you sent me anything, though. And as time passed, I accumulated more things to tell you.
"Minh, this happens every year," I complained. "Why does it never change?"
"Because we never get off our lazy asses," she said as we pulled into the parking space.
"I guess. Ellie and Carlos and the rest of them never have that problem, though."
"Well, we're just special."
We walked into the Halloween costume store. The door led into a dark tunnel with spiderwebs all over the ceiling. I won't lie - it kinda freaked me out to walk in there every year.
"I hope I don't get groped this time," Minh said. The tunnel ended and we walked into the well-lit store.
"I don't think you will. I don't think they're allowed do that anymore," I said. This store was famous for having people creep up on you, dressed in full costume. Usually they tap you on the shoulder or do something to scare you, but I heard that the year before, there was a bad... situation.
"Whatever, they're still creepy. Cass, do you have any idea what costume you want at all?"
"...no."
"Okay, good, cause I don't either."
Basically, for the next hour, we tried on costumes. Minh had a thing for trying on children's costumes (which actually fit her quite well) and men's costumes (which were just... interesting). Eventually she ended up with a doctor costume. Because it came with a giant (thankfully fake) syringe.
"Maybe I should be your patient," I said. Then I sighed because I still had no idea what I was going to do.
"Ew, no." Minh shoved a whole bunch of costumes into my arms. "Here, try these."
I did as she told and showed her each one. She turned them all down because they were "ugly as fuck" or "way too overdone".
"Let's just go somewhere else," I said. "I'll never find anything here."
"Fine. Somewhere close, though."
We were on our way to the register when I saw it. The perfect costume.
"I want this," I said immediately. Before Minh could say anything, I ran to the fitting room to try it on. When I came back out, Minh was standing there, waiting. "You like?"
"Well, I think it's extremely racist," she said. "But I love the purple seashell bra."
I hope you know what the costume is by now. It's pretty obvious. If you're just slow, it was Ariel, from the Little Mermaid. Complete with red hair, green tail, and purple seashell bra.
"Thanks," I said. "But how is it racist?"
"Because if I wore it, it wouldn't like right. See this?" She pulled at the flesh colored fabric that covered my stomach and most of my back. (You didn't think it was just a bra, did you?) "If I wanted to wear it, it would have to be yellow."
"Yeah, yeah. This doesn't match me exactly either, but it fits."
Minh tapped her chin. "Well, you look good as a ginger, but the costume needs more freckles."
I rolled my eyes and pulled out my phone. I took a picture in the mirror. "I'm getting this one."
I changed and we went to pay for our costumes. I'll be honest - I got the costume because of you. If Minh knew about the purple seashells thing, she would have called me obsessed. I knew that too. Now that I look back, I was a bit obsessed. But that doesn't change anything, and I write only the truth.
I thought about that picture and whether I should show it to you. When I got home, I uploaded it to my computer, telling myself I would send it if you responded to my last message.
When I logged in, there was nothing.
We emailed back and forth for a few weeks. The contents of these messages are nothing special, but it was getting easier to write to you. Minh said that was a good thing - I was getting more comfortable. Still, talking to you online was nothing compared to real life.
Then you told me you were moving. But I didn't live near you, so nothing would change, right? Apparently not. You weren't moving away from your hometown, just changing houses. And you wouldn't have internet for a while.
You told me you'd email as often as you could, but it would be hard because you would have to go to the library or a friend's house. And your parents didn't particularly approve of you leaving the house.
I told you it was fine, and it was, really. I still went on with my daily life. I checked everyday to see if you sent me anything, though. And as time passed, I accumulated more things to tell you.
"Minh, this happens every year," I complained. "Why does it never change?"
"Because we never get off our lazy asses," she said as we pulled into the parking space.
"I guess. Ellie and Carlos and the rest of them never have that problem, though."
"Well, we're just special."
We walked into the Halloween costume store. The door led into a dark tunnel with spiderwebs all over the ceiling. I won't lie - it kinda freaked me out to walk in there every year.
"I hope I don't get groped this time," Minh said. The tunnel ended and we walked into the well-lit store.
"I don't think you will. I don't think they're allowed do that anymore," I said. This store was famous for having people creep up on you, dressed in full costume. Usually they tap you on the shoulder or do something to scare you, but I heard that the year before, there was a bad... situation.
"Whatever, they're still creepy. Cass, do you have any idea what costume you want at all?"
"...no."
"Okay, good, cause I don't either."
Basically, for the next hour, we tried on costumes. Minh had a thing for trying on children's costumes (which actually fit her quite well) and men's costumes (which were just... interesting). Eventually she ended up with a doctor costume. Because it came with a giant (thankfully fake) syringe.
"Maybe I should be your patient," I said. Then I sighed because I still had no idea what I was going to do.
"Ew, no." Minh shoved a whole bunch of costumes into my arms. "Here, try these."
I did as she told and showed her each one. She turned them all down because they were "ugly as fuck" or "way too overdone".
"Let's just go somewhere else," I said. "I'll never find anything here."
"Fine. Somewhere close, though."
We were on our way to the register when I saw it. The perfect costume.
"I want this," I said immediately. Before Minh could say anything, I ran to the fitting room to try it on. When I came back out, Minh was standing there, waiting. "You like?"
"Well, I think it's extremely racist," she said. "But I love the purple seashell bra."
I hope you know what the costume is by now. It's pretty obvious. If you're just slow, it was Ariel, from the Little Mermaid. Complete with red hair, green tail, and purple seashell bra.
"Thanks," I said. "But how is it racist?"
"Because if I wore it, it wouldn't like right. See this?" She pulled at the flesh colored fabric that covered my stomach and most of my back. (You didn't think it was just a bra, did you?) "If I wanted to wear it, it would have to be yellow."
"Yeah, yeah. This doesn't match me exactly either, but it fits."
Minh tapped her chin. "Well, you look good as a ginger, but the costume needs more freckles."
I rolled my eyes and pulled out my phone. I took a picture in the mirror. "I'm getting this one."
I changed and we went to pay for our costumes. I'll be honest - I got the costume because of you. If Minh knew about the purple seashells thing, she would have called me obsessed. I knew that too. Now that I look back, I was a bit obsessed. But that doesn't change anything, and I write only the truth.
I thought about that picture and whether I should show it to you. When I got home, I uploaded it to my computer, telling myself I would send it if you responded to my last message.
When I logged in, there was nothing.