Mirror Story per Brenda Arledge Prompt
By: Tamama Khan
Tags: Review, Poet, Autobiography, Storytelling, Poetry

Brenda’s New Prompt ‘Mirror’

Brenda Arledge has given us another prompt, the word ‘mirror’. Brenda has many of us writing poetry and stories. She has been a very positive influence on us.

I didn’t think I would respond to this prompt for a few days as my mind was blank. I wrote an acrostic poem, but I couldn’t think of anything else for a while.

Then, my muse started working, and I thought of a scenario for a short story. A young woman, who is so insecure she is always looking into the mirror. She was teased by other children as a child, which caused her mirror addiction.

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A Bit of Humor

M y reflection I gazed in the mirror

I couldn’t believe I gained ten pounds

R oaring with laughter was my sister

R age exploded throughout my body

E very inch of me wanted to scream

R use she had a magnified mirror

Jennifer’s Image

Jennifer is a petite, beautiful girl with black hair and piercing green eyes. She looked in the mirror frowning one last time as she grabbed her purse to head to work. When she got into the car she looked in the mirror again.

Driving carefully through traffic she was running a few minutes late again. When she parked the car she got out her compact to check her makeup again. Then, she arrived at the door to her office and walked in. Her boss was standing there.

This imposing man looked down at her and said, “Jennifer, you have been late six times in two weeks. You’re fired.”

Jennifer gasped and was speechless. She simply turned around and fled out the door to her car. She sat in the car crying, feeling sorry for herself. Finally, she grabbed the cell phone and called her mother. Crying into the phone she told her mom she had been fired.

Her mother just said, “Jennifer, come on over.”

pixabay

“You have always been so concerned about how you look. When will you just be comfortable in your own skin?”

Jennifer started crying all over again. “I don’t know Mom. I don’t think I look that good.”

“You were always looking in the mirror when you were a teenager. I thought you outgrew that when you were in college. I remember those girls that used to tease you, but honey, they were just jealous of you,” her mom asked.

“Do you really think they were jealous? I never thought that.” Jennifer whimpered.

“They were absolutely jealous. You became so paranoid with that teasing that it always took you forever to get ready to go anywhere. Maybe you ought to consider some counseling.”

“Oh, mom. I don’t think so.”

“Anyway, what happened to that guy, Mike, that you were dating?”

Jennifer regained control of her emotions, started the car and headed that direction. She had always been close to her mother. When she arrived at her widowed mother’s bungalow she started crying again.

“Oh, mom. I screwed up, and I got fired.”

“Exactly what happened, Jennifer?” her petite mother asked. Jennifer had definitely inherited her mother’s genes. They looked almost identical despite the age difference.

“I have been late too many times. But, I was only a few minutes late.”

“Jennifer, Jennifer, when will you learn? A job requires being on time. It doesn’t matter if it is a few minutes or an hour. Why are you so frequently late?” her mother asked.

“I don’t know. I get ready, and it seems I have plenty of time. Sometimes I change outfits and you know, I have to put my makeup on. That takes time.”

“You could get up earlier, and you don’t need makeup. You are a beautiful, college educated girl.”

“I don’t think so. I need makeup, Mom. You don’t understand.”

“I broke it off with him, but that has nothing to do with this problem.”

“Well, are you ready to change? When are you going to accept that you are an attractive, smart woman? Why don’t you try NOT looking in a mirror for just a week while you send out resumes to find a new job.”

The Beach Boys-Don’t Worry Baby

A Week Later

Jennifer wrote resumes and sent them out all week. She stayed in her apartment showered each day and put clean pajama bottoms on with a T shirt. Since she never went out, she didn’t need to look in the mirror. The test came at the end of the week when she had a job interview.

She dressed in a navy blue business suit with a crisp, white blouse for the interview. When it came time to put her makeup on she decided to set a timer for ten minutes. When the timer went off she wasn’t done. However, she stood up, pushing the small chair out of her way. She grabbed her purse and left for the interview. She felt like she needed more time, but she also felt good that she had accomplished her goal by using the timer.

She arrived for the interview feeling a little uncertain. When she was called in for the interview she was facing a stern looking woman. The woman looked at her and said, “Sit”.

Jennifer sat down, feeling intimidated, but she answered all the questions. The stern looking woman said, “What happened at your last job?”

“I was fired for being late.” Jennifer answered. “I promise I won’t be late if you give me a chance.”

“I’ll let you know,” ended the interview.

Jennifer left and figured being fired from her last job would make getting any new job difficult. She went back home. She called her mother and told her about the interview.

“I really want that job, Mom, but I think it is not likely.”

“Have faith, sweetheart. You never know what might happen.”

Two days later Jennifer got a phone call offering her the jobThe stern looking woman said, “Jennifer, you are the most qualified of all our applicants. I am offering you the job with the understanding that if you are late any time in the first three months you will be fired.”

“I understand. I won’t be late. Thank you so much.”

Jennifer got off the phone and danced around the house with glee, saying, “I’m free, I’m free at last.”

Pretty Woman

Originally published at https://discover.hubpages.com on July 2, 2021.