Page 28 of Pride High

“I don’t think those are the lyrics,” Silvia said, “but I actually like your version better.”

“Thanks. The band wanted to use it, but the record company execs thought it was too edgy.”

“Their loss. Maybe we should put the actual song on so I can hear you sing the whole thing.”

“I would,” Omar said with a chuckle, “but I can’t stay long today. My friend David wants me to come over to his place so I can see the pet iguana he just got.”

“Aww!” Silvia said. “I love animals!”

“Me too,” Omar replied, “but he’s making such a big deal of it. I’m like, c’mon dude, maybe you should throw a baby shower or something.”

Silvia imagined a bunch of women unwrapping onesies shaped like lizards. “If that happens, I need you to invite me.”

“You’ve got it,” Omar said. He seemed to remember something important, judging from the way he stood up straight. Although the question he asked next was weirdly anticlimactic. “What’s your favorite animal?”

“Oh.” That was easy. “I really like horses.” Including the sound of their galloping hooves, their warm whinnying breath, and the softness of their whiskered muzzles. “I love them, actually.”

“Huh,” he replied. “Have you ever ridden one?”

“Yeah,” she said wistfully. “When I was younger. I took lessons for about a year.” And it had been one of the most glorious experiences of her life. But then she had noticed that her mom was coming home late every day and figured out why.

“How come you stopped?” Omar asked.

“It’s expensive,” she said, “and hard to justify, since it was very unlikely I’d ever become a jockey.”

“Is that something women can do?” Omar asked, sounding surprised.

Silvia arched an eyebrow at him. “Ever heard of Diane Crump?”

“No.”

“She was the first woman to race professionally. As a jockey. That was back in the sixties.”

“Cool!” Omar said. “I didn’t mean that a woman wouldn’t be able to. Just that I didn’t know if it was allowed. You know… Officially. Like the rules or whatever.”

Silvia shrugged. “People were so angry about it that sheneeded a police escort just to get to her first race safely.”

“That’s so fucking lame!” Omar growled. “What the hell?”

“People are scared of change,” Silvia said while shaking her head. “So many of the older customers lecture me about how music was better in their day. It’s like they’re convinced things only get worse as time goes by, but if you look at history, that obviously isn’t true.”

“Good point,” Omar said. “Nazis, the black plague, dinosaurs… There’s a lot of bad stuff in the past. If I had a time machine, I’d only want to go forward. Hey, what about you?”

“Seeing the dinosaurswouldbe amazing,” Silvia said sheepishly. She decided not to mention her former ambitions to become a paleontologist. One goofy childhood dream was enough for today. “Although getting to visit the future has potential. Especially if space travel is possible by then.”

“Speaking of aliens,” Omar said with a snap of his fingers, “do you still have that GWAR concert you showed me part of? I’m gonna buy it.”

“I think so,” Silvia replied. “Let’s go see.”

They walked over to a small selection of video cassettes where she found it easily. “It’s signed by the lead singer.”

“Oderus Urungus?” Omar asked, his face lighting up.

“Yeah. You’ve really gotten into them, huh?”

“Yup! He really signed it?”

She angled the video cassette to show him. “Right here. Maybe that’s why my boss priced it so high. He wants sixty dollars.”

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