EPISODE 2 – UNTIMELY CHOICES
Immerse yourself within a typical day for Zoraida, as she navigates her grandpa’s demands and plans her next big outing.
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A Big Appetite
By morning, Zoraida has no time to mope. Her daily responsibilities pull her out of her funk. There are chores to complete, and today it’s her turn to cook. After mopping floors and scrubbing bathrooms till noon, she hears Grandpa scurrying toward the front door.
The mailbox swings shut with a metallic clang, and Grandpa rushes out the door as if the Powerball numbers just dropped.
“Ooh, look at this coupon!” he exclaims, waving it like a winning lottery ticket. “Two dollars off a chimichanga from a new Mexicali restaurant right around the corner.”
Zoraida barely looks up from her phone. “Grandpa, I’m not driving you around the corner for a chimichanga I could make better myself. If you don’t like my cooking, the exercise will do you good.”
“Never mind.”
Grandpa mutters, pulling out his flip phone.
“I’ll call the restaurant.”
Zoraida shakes her head.
“Here we go.”
“Hello, Señor Mexicali? I found your little coupon for two dollars off a large beef chimichanga. Instead of the chimichanga, can I get two—no, make that four—small chicken enchiladas with the same discount?”
There’s a pause on the line before a polite voice responds, “I’m sorry, sir, no substitutions are allowed.”
“Does it say that somewhere? I had beef yesterday,” Papi huffs.
“Yes, Sir. It’s printed on the coupon. It also states the discount applies to in-app purchases only.”
“In-app? Of course, I have an appetite. That’s why I’m ordering a meal!”
The employee’s voice remains steady.
“Sir, I’d be happy to assist you in the store.”
“Oh, I have to come in? I thought you delivered!”
“I’m sorry, Sir. If you’re not ready to order, I must assist other customers.”
Grandpa slams the phone shut.
“¡Que grosero! They’re not getting any more of my business.”
“They haven’t gotten any of your business.”
Zoraida sighs as she plates the big meal she finished during the short time he was on the phone.
“Papi, I made a chicken chimichanga with rice, beans, and salsa for you.”
“¡Gracias. Es perfecto!”
Height of Temptation
Zoraida has an intimate talk with her girlfriend the next day. Tabitha is 5-foot-5 and has no problem dating men close to 6 feet tall. The two friends huddle together in a corner booth, their voices barely above a whisper.
“It was so embarrassing to fall from the barstool onto my butt. My cocktail splashed onto my makeup, which ran down my face. I was a mess.”
“You’ve heard the expression, Good things come in small packages. In my experience, men equate petiteness with femininity,”
“You’re just a bit taller than me… but I’m not willing… to go as far… as you.”
Tabitha emphasizes, “You must believe you’re a good thing.”
“I know I’m a good thing. How do I get men to lower their eyes enough to recognize it?”
“First, don’t hide your inner beauty with tons of makeup, and don’t try to appear taller than you are.”
Zoraida narrows her eyes. “So you’re saying… ditch the heels, tone down the makeup, and expect guys to trip over themselves to ask me out?” Zoraida raises an eyebrow skeptically.
“Not exactly. Look, you like to dance salsa. Coax that irresistible fiery Latina within you.”
“What happens when the guy walks over to dance and discovers I barely reach his navel.”
“He doesn’t have to dance with you, although that’s a bonus. You dance to arouse desire. Raise some eyebrows with flirtatious smiles. Trust me. You’ll be irresistible.”
Zoraida takes the advice the following weekend. The dance floor is alive with pulsing lights and the beat of the music. Men under her height requirement join her in salsa and tango, casting shadows that dance across the room. Afterward, she makes it apparent that she’s sitting alone at a table.
Then, Zoraida feels a shadow cast over her. She looks up—way up—to see a tall, chiseled man smiling down at her. “Six-foot-fourteen at least,” she thinks, as her heart skips a beat.
“Finally, the genes, I can see my children wearing.” She flashes him a wide smile and gestures to the empty seat.
He introduces himself with the odd name Isacco Rumsley, but that doesn't matter. He could see how short she was on the dance floor, and now he is willing to sit at her table. They are perfect strangers. Yet, she would accept a marriage proposal if asked.
“Where did you learn to dance like that?”
“From my family.”
She adds a little too eagerly,
“I also learned to cook well.”
“That’s an important thing to know. I’ve been out with many tall women who have no domestic skills.”
Parroting the advice she received from her friend, she quickly replies, “Well, good things come in small packages.”
“Would you like to go out sometime?”
he asks with ulterior motives.
“That’s a big ask,” she teases, not quite able to conceal the excitement from her voice. Zoraida hands over her number, feeling like she’s just won the lottery.
But then, Isacco’s tone shifts.
“Maybe you could come by my place tonight?” he says, eyebrow raised.
After regaining her composure, Zoraida becomes candid.
“I’m very flattered. Although I’m attracted to tall men, I’m not ready for where that might lead. I come from a… traditional family that reserves… certain things for after marriage.”
“This doesn’t even qualify as a first date, and you’re already trying to reel me into a commitment. There are taller, more willing fish in the sea.”
She murmurs a criticism beneath her breath.
“Such entitlement… and they say short guys have Napoleon complexes.”
Yet she doesn’t want to rule him out entirely.
He disappears into the same shadow that brought him to her table. She quickly sends a text message to Tabitha.
Zora “I may have blown my only chance. Should I swallow my pride with the rest of my drink and run after him before he gets away?”
She can’t wait for a reply. After a big gulp, she hurriedly follows, fearing he’ll leave the building.
“If he sees me, I’ll look desperate.”
She hides behind a potted plant.
“Oh no! He’s turning around.”
Continued…
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