“That’s disgusting.”
“Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it,” I told her. “If it wasn’t good they wouldn’t make those chocolate oranges at Christmas.”
Robin continued to frown as Reggie handed me back my cup. Then he pointed to the string on his apron rather proudly. “See?” he asked me. “This is why I needed a bracelet.”
Yesterday, Reggie had come by my booth at the festival and bought a white bracelet. I’d questioned him on his choice of jewelry and he told me to come see him at work. He had that bracelet tied around the strap of his apron. The white beads contrasted perfectly against the black material. Everyone in the food court could see that Reggie was still a virgin—not that they were at all surprised about that.
“I’ve been explaining it to everyone all day!”
“That’s great, Reggie.”
I started to walk away—getting a free shot of chocolate for my smoothies is one thing, but I don’t need him thinking he’s taking me to prom—but he called me back. “Hey, Valerie, if you’ve got any more copies of the fliers from yesterday for your website, you could leave them on the counter here. I’d be happy to hand them out to people.”
“That’s really sweet, Reggie, thanks, but I ran out. I’ve got to get back to work now. I’ll see you next time.”
“Looks like someone has a fan club,” Robin said as we got back to the store.
“Yeah, that’s Reggie. I kind of feel bad about using the poor guy for free yogurt, but it’s not like I’m extra friendly or anything. He just offers.”
“I’m not talking about the yogurt guy,” Robin said. She was pointing inside the jewelry store.
At first all I saw was the group of people, and I felt bad for leaving Margret alone. It’s not that she doesn’t know how to do her job, but she does pay me even though she doesn’t need the help. I should at least do the work. When there ever is any.
But the people in the store weren’t there to buy any gold. When I got closer, I could see all the camera equipment gathered around their feet. There were also big lights being set up and one of those long microphone things that they hold over your head. All of them said KTLA Eyewitness news.
“I wonder why they’re back,” Robin whispered under her breath as we walked in. I didn’t get the chance to mimic her question.
“Oh! Here she is!” Margret cheered. She smiled as proud as if I were her own granddaughter. “Valerie! These nice folks want to do a story on you.”
“Hello, Valerie!”
“Um, hi?”
“You’re going to have to speak up when the camera’s rolling, hon—with confidence, and stand up straight. The outfit’s nice, but we have got to do something about that hair.”
“What about my hair?” I wasn’t appreciating this woman’s in-your-face attitude.
“It’s nice,” the reporter assured me. “But the camera will not be kind to your face if you keep your hair framing it that way, trust me. You’ll look as round as a button. Have you got a clip? We need to see cheekbones.”
Margret was reaching for a jewel-studded hair clip before I even had any time to respond.
“Have you got any make-up in your purse? You could use a touch-up,” the reported continued on.
“Uh… maybe?”
“Try not to use the words ‘uh’ and ‘um’ when we’re rolling.”
The woman reached out to straighten the collar on my shirt, and I finally snapped. “Why don’t you back up out of my personal space, and take a breather for five minutes?” I snapped.
The woman looked totally abashed. Journalists. If Eric were here he’d be rolling his eyes with me. Robin, however, was excited by it all.
“Now, let’s try this again,” I said once I had the lady’s attention. “You want to interview me?”
The woman nodded. She was still a little dumbfounded at the way I was running the conversation.
“All right. Then why don’t you try asking me if you can? Make sure you say please. Then, maybe
“Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it,” I told her. “If it wasn’t good they wouldn’t make those chocolate oranges at Christmas.”
Robin continued to frown as Reggie handed me back my cup. Then he pointed to the string on his apron rather proudly. “See?” he asked me. “This is why I needed a bracelet.”
Yesterday, Reggie had come by my booth at the festival and bought a white bracelet. I’d questioned him on his choice of jewelry and he told me to come see him at work. He had that bracelet tied around the strap of his apron. The white beads contrasted perfectly against the black material. Everyone in the food court could see that Reggie was still a virgin—not that they were at all surprised about that.
“I’ve been explaining it to everyone all day!”
“That’s great, Reggie.”
I started to walk away—getting a free shot of chocolate for my smoothies is one thing, but I don’t need him thinking he’s taking me to prom—but he called me back. “Hey, Valerie, if you’ve got any more copies of the fliers from yesterday for your website, you could leave them on the counter here. I’d be happy to hand them out to people.”
“That’s really sweet, Reggie, thanks, but I ran out. I’ve got to get back to work now. I’ll see you next time.”
“Looks like someone has a fan club,” Robin said as we got back to the store.
“Yeah, that’s Reggie. I kind of feel bad about using the poor guy for free yogurt, but it’s not like I’m extra friendly or anything. He just offers.”
“I’m not talking about the yogurt guy,” Robin said. She was pointing inside the jewelry store.
At first all I saw was the group of people, and I felt bad for leaving Margret alone. It’s not that she doesn’t know how to do her job, but she does pay me even though she doesn’t need the help. I should at least do the work. When there ever is any.
But the people in the store weren’t there to buy any gold. When I got closer, I could see all the camera equipment gathered around their feet. There were also big lights being set up and one of those long microphone things that they hold over your head. All of them said KTLA Eyewitness news.
“I wonder why they’re back,” Robin whispered under her breath as we walked in. I didn’t get the chance to mimic her question.
“Oh! Here she is!” Margret cheered. She smiled as proud as if I were her own granddaughter. “Valerie! These nice folks want to do a story on you.”
“Hello, Valerie!”
“Um, hi?”
“You’re going to have to speak up when the camera’s rolling, hon—with confidence, and stand up straight. The outfit’s nice, but we have got to do something about that hair.”
“What about my hair?” I wasn’t appreciating this woman’s in-your-face attitude.
“It’s nice,” the reporter assured me. “But the camera will not be kind to your face if you keep your hair framing it that way, trust me. You’ll look as round as a button. Have you got a clip? We need to see cheekbones.”
Margret was reaching for a jewel-studded hair clip before I even had any time to respond.
“Have you got any make-up in your purse? You could use a touch-up,” the reported continued on.
“Uh… maybe?”
“Try not to use the words ‘uh’ and ‘um’ when we’re rolling.”
The woman reached out to straighten the collar on my shirt, and I finally snapped. “Why don’t you back up out of my personal space, and take a breather for five minutes?” I snapped.
The woman looked totally abashed. Journalists. If Eric were here he’d be rolling his eyes with me. Robin, however, was excited by it all.
“Now, let’s try this again,” I said once I had the lady’s attention. “You want to interview me?”
The woman nodded. She was still a little dumbfounded at the way I was running the conversation.
“All right. Then why don’t you try asking me if you can? Make sure you say please. Then, maybe
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