Shortest Story of All

9 de abril de 2017


Birds, Frye Speak, and the Art of Not Talking

(Puerto Rican. Not exotic.)

Client, when we first meet:

“Heeeeeey! This is my unit I need you to clean—isn’t it amazing?”

(Mind: That upspeak is driving me insane. Yeah... nice view.)

“Yes... blah blah blah... Are you from Brazil?”

(Mind: Puerto Rico. But go on, colonizer Barbie.)

“How exotic!”

(Mind: Yup. She said it. She actually said it.)

“We’re a business…”

(Mind: Here it comes. Bet it’s another Airbnb hustle.)

“...called Oasis…”
(upspeak... vocal fryyyyy...)
“...we’re really focused on the guest experience... blah blah blah…”

(Mind: Is that a bird? On top of that building?)

She closes the door.

“Byeeee!”

Me:

“Bye.”

That was actually the only word I spoke the whole time.

Also?
Yeah, that was a bird.

#DontCallMeIllCallYou
#DiasporaStories
#PuertoRicanNotExotic
#LatinaWorkerChronicles
#CleaningForTheColonizers
#AirbnbFatigue
#WorkingWhileBrown
#UpspeakFryeAndBirds
#WitInTheWorkday
#LatinxResistance
#SilentButListening
#SideEyeSeason
#MicroAggressionDiaries
#InvisibleLabor
#ServiceWorkerStories
#CuidadoConTuLenguaje
#FromPRToChicago
#BoricuaInTheCity


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Las Mujeres de mi Casa en el Espejo

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I use Formula (with a final twist)