The Boyfriend Shirt | ONC 2024

03| Sunnyside

Sam-Jae Lee

The bitter grip of winter was slowly losing its hold over West Kinsley and signs of the changing seasons were starting to emerge on the horizon. The new leaves sprouting just beyond Ms Houston's large paned window swayed in the late afternoon breeze.

I watched as a small bird perched on a single frail branch. The branch trembled under the bird's weight causing the new leaf to tremble in the breeze.

"Mr Jae-Lee," Ms Houston said, pulling my attention from the life beyond her window. She pursed her lips together and stacked the papers before her into a small neat pile. My gaze followed her fingers as she straightened the pencil that lay flush against the stack. She pushed up her glasses and scanned her desk one more time before she raised her eyes to meet mine again.

Her eyes pierced through me as she eyed my naked arms. Barely restraining myself from gritting my teeth I leaned into the stiff brown ugly chair I was sitting on. My eyes met Ms Houston's piercing cold stare and I shuffled my feet positioning them in what Teddy called, ‘a non threatening pose.’

It didn't seem to soothe her though. Instead Ms Houston pursed her lips tightly and a new harsh wrinkle formed on her forehead. Her eyes narrowed as she eyed the ink marking my arms. Her frown deepened and with her hands folded above the table she cleared her throat, "I don't think I can hire... ‘Your people’."

I pushed my tattooed hand through my hair, with my gaze focused on the atrocious yellowing pin that held Ms Houston's greying hair in a tight bun. I replied, "My people?"

Miss Houston frowned, eyed my tattoos and said, "Mr Jae-Lee, Houston's is a prestigious establishment that caters to a certain calibre of clients, if I started lowering my standards just to hire some hooligan from the streets best believe I would lose a large amount of income and I would much rather maintain my restaurant than sacrifice it for the likes of you."

"Of course Ms Houston," I mocked sitting up straight, "After all, the chairman of the town council cannot be seen helping other members of the community can she?"

Affronted Mr Houston slammed her book shut and shoved my resume towards me. I leaned over her desk watching as she held her position despite the wary glance she gave the closed  door. Smirking, I picked up my resume, "Relax Ms H, it's not like I am a street kid. After all, I'm still enrolled in that prestigious university your nephew goes to so how bad could I possibly be?"

Ms Houston shook her head lightly, "I am sorry but I still can't hire you." She wasn't sorry, "People like you are what's wrong with West Kinsley," She scowled, "If I had it my way I would have you and your people banished from this town."

I stepped away from her desk with my resume in my hand. Her eyes did another quick sweep over my body. She found something else she didn't like and frowned again,"I suggest you try searching for a job in Portmornt, didn't you say that's where you were from?"

My lips found their way into a familiar wicked smirk, "I know better than to beg for someone to accept my labour. Yours is after all just another imitation of someone else's work, Ms Houston. Maybe I will have better chance with an actual workplace."

This wasn't the first time I had been looked down upon because of my appearance. The whole thing was an unfortunate by-product of being me. Whether it was the tattoos covering my sleeve, the piercings on my bottom lip or my sexuality, my whole life was a series of rejections based on who I was regardless of my merits.

Ms Houston reeled back, hand clutching her chest. The old lady looked affronted as if she expected me to take insults silently. I wasn't meek nor was I a gentleman. I walked out, choosing to leave her before she really pissed me off.