On my exchange program from college to the U.S. A., I was there during the Thanksgiving season. A truly enjoyable day, especially for someone on their first trip to The States enjoying and breathing in the American holiday season. Though I grew up seeing more of the New York-based movies, I pleasantly knew my Richard Gere from Pretty Woman was definitely in Phoenix, Arizona. In the first few months of my trip, my college buddy was an Afro-American girl named Ashley. She was truly a Godsend for me, especially with the complicated first-month schedule of classes that I had.
Arizona was pretty cool (not in the sense of weather though) and I could see some of the Thanks Giving spirt the comes with the season. Though I didn’t have to bust out my warm clothes even in late November and was moving around in shorts and tank tops even in that time of the year.
I think what I did enjoy during my stay at ASU and Phoenix was the attention I got for being “exotic”. I did enjoy the attention especially when one of those Southern accent cowboys came up to me at the bar and I ended up riding him like a cowgirl through the night.
But let’s leave the Story of the Wild West for now and let me tell you about Black Friday after Thanksgiving at Ashley’s place. Ashley was second among four siblings and was younger to her elder brother, Troy. She was then followed by her younger brother and a sister. Her elder brother was an ex-Marine who mainly worked out of New York and was decorated for his service. Though he lost one leg to war, he knew how to carry himself around and caught my attention on the first day I met him.
Well built, deep voice, solid pecs and that charm that could melt any woman in the room was part of him. I mean who doesn’t like a guy in uniform and I was a daughter of an Indian navy man myself, so he definitely was a cut above the others. For the long Thanksgiving weekend, I was invited to Ashley’s place having been there in town for almost three and a half months. I knew her father and her mom pretty well and was a frequent sleepover almost all weekends.
Troy was also over for the holiday weekend from New York where he worked as a part-time gym trainer and was finishing his college degree in Finance. Being Thanksgiving, the men were normally all around the TV watching football while most of us ladies were talking in the hall and kitchen. While giving out plates of lunch Troy was talking to me asking me about my stay in the city and how I was faring as an international student.
I was actually doing pretty well for myself, as I was studying my six to eight-month duration minors at ASU on an exchange program from India and had been hired to work as a part-time model for Yandy (a lingerie website). Being impressed, I could tell he was giving me his charming moves and was hitting on me, sadly to Ashley’s utter disgust.
Troy said, “So you have been featured in a few catalogs yet or are they keeping all those sexy pictures to themselves ?”
I answered, “Well a few got released for their new Halloween Collection but I am still new at it so they are still wanting to see how far I grow. Modelling isn’t the only thing I do there you know? I handle the marketing as well along with the core team”
He said, “Well you got me sold.”
“Without even seeing the merchandise?” I smiled. The wine was doing its job here and the chocolate charmer was just pushing everything over.
If people hadn’t been there in the room, we would have definitely had a nice Thanksgiving where the turkey would not be the only thing getting stuffed in it’s holes. The attraction was thick and knowing her brother well, Ashley got me away from him (for the time being).
Since it was the long weekend and college was off, I ended up bunking with Ashley in her room. The next day Ashley’s dad was going to hit one of the strip malls for the Black Friday Sale with his wife and kids while Ashley and I were going to work on our holiday assignment and Troy was heading out to meet his friends.
By 10am the house was empty except for me and Ashley.
Ashley said, "Did you get the printouts for the retail figures?”
”No," I answered, "I thought you were considering I did much of the design here!”
She said, "Typical stuff, I end up being the grown up.