The Day I Met Aphrodite

 

 

Straighten the racks, fold the clothes, smile at customers, tell them they look pretty, make the sale; Working at a retail shop. Quickly, this gets old. My fake smile goes stale, and my resistance to helping customers grows. Somehow my life does not seem far from the mannequin standing in the window. I feel like a prop. 

 

 

An hour has passed, and the new arrivals are freshly steamed, yet the store is dry. Not one soul is interested in wasting their money. Thank goodness, I think to myself. I sit down scrolling on my phone to begin wasting time, then suddenly a woman walks in. The store settles and the sun’s rays beam through the door, in that moment I become aware of my heartbeat. Quickly, I set my phone down.

 

 

“Hi! Welcome to Beach and Beverly!”

 

 

She looks and passes a gentle smile. 

 

 

“She’s not like the other customers,” I say for no one to hear. I am for once genuinely curious, so I walk up to her and ask “Is there anything specific you are looking for?”

 

 

“No, just browsing.”

 

 

“Oh, are you from here”

 

 

“No, I am a therapist, my patient lives around here, so I thought I would stop by” 

 

 

I begin to ask where she is from as she continues to pull each piece of clothing and admire it. She pulls out a dress that is fun and pretty and matches her vibe, so I tell her to try it on. At first, she is unsure but quickly gives in. She skips into the dressing room, singing and humming to the music playing from the store’s speakers. She screams and says 

 

 

“oh my, this is the most beautiful dress I have worn!”

 

 

My heart begins to pull my chest forward and my shoulders relax, I let out a breath and break a grin. 

 

 

She decides to get the dress and I begin to ring her up, she then confides in me, “Thank you, Today I was feeling overwhelmed and defeated from my patient’s meeting. I was feeling stuck, but now that I have felt myself in this dress, I remember who I am” 

 

 

My breath stops, and I reply “Thank you for sharing that feeling with me, what is your name?’

 

 

She relaxes and says “My name is Aphrodite” 

 

 

Time pauses. I realize I found love in this job. “Nice to meet you, Aphrodite”