Working title: "Thinking Pink with the weight of the world on my shoulders."

This is fiction, that I wrote trying to let off some steam. Though some of this is based largely on reality, it has been fictionalized.

            The weather in the October sky  was as bleak as my mood as I hustled across campus. I was lost in thought, minding my own business. I was thinking about all the things going on in my corner of the world,  when I was accosted by one of Barbie's lost sisters, dressed all in pink, with a cheerful little name-tag that proclaimed her name was HOLLY in neon print to the world.  Her hair up in pig tails, with strands dyed pink, pink tie-dye socks, and a bright pink Tu-tu on top of pink sweats, she looked like a four year old with a princess complex dressed her.

            “Are you team aware? We're selling shirts for $15! Do you want to help support our team?”                        She asked in her too much coffee and overly cheer voice.

            “Hello target.” I thought to myself. I just could not resist. With the weight of the universe crashing down on me, here was a chance to rain some of the sunshine out of the Holly parade. In hind sight, it was a complete a*****e move. Completely unwarranted. I was acting like a bully, and for that today I repent.  But at the moment, my sadistic side was in charge.

            “Team aware? What exactly is that?” I said, sarcastically, trying to mask some of my mockery.

            “It's our team in a breast cancer walk. It's for a good cause.”

            “Really? How is it a good cause? Does it cure breast cancer? What about all the other s****y            kinds of cancer out there?”

            “Uh... No. But our sorority is competing with the other sorority to see who can raise the most             money for the foundation. It's for a good cause.” She said, defensively. Now I had to go in for the kill.

            “Forgive me Holly, But there are a lot of “good causes” in the world. Where does the money go? What do they spend the money on? Who determined that this was a good cause, verses The Humane Society, or help foster children, or  Project HOPE to help the homeless? How do you expect people to support you in your cause when you can't even tell me where the money goes to and how exactly it's a good cause?

            “But it's for breast cancer!” She protested, about ready to cry.

 

            Just then, one of her sorority sisters came over, and proved to be her savior from big bad ugly me.

            “Look, if you don't want to support us, move along, but you don't have to be a b***h about it.” she hissed at me. So, I did just that. I walked away and on to class. But the interaction continued to burn in my mind as I went through the motions of the rest of my day.

            I had a point, and I was hoping that some of that point may have penetrated that empty little head. They were raising money for a foundation, and I'm sure that the foundation, in addition to paying for their little shin dig, was going to spend the money on good things, like mammograms for women, and education. But would it really matter? To be clear, it wasn't that I was against this foundation.  I just had to wonder, did Holly even know anyone who had ever experienced this? Did she know what she was saying by “Team Aware”? How could she expect anyone to get behind her cause when she was so shallow about it?

            Later that day, as I sat in the waiting room of my Doctor’s office, reliving the events of earlier in the day in my mind, I had this overwhelming burden of missed opportunity. Now I wished that I had taken the time to answer Holly.

            If I had a time machine, I would have answered her. Yes Holly, I am team aware. I was team aware when my Aunt Jo died at 45 and I was 11 and I went to my first Catholic funeral, and the priest told my family she was going to hell because she didn't get the last rights in time. I was team aware when my favorite Sunday school teacher lost all of her hair, and I use to go babysit her kids as she went through chemo therapy, and puked her heals up. I watched a wonderfully robust woman turn into nothing more than a bald skeleton. I am team aware, as my friend Amanda, who I have known since the 8^th grade, lays in an oncology ward 3 hours away, suffering from complications, and her mountain of a husband pleads for the Lord not to take his world, and he tries to figure out how to raise 5 kids, work his 60 hour a week job, and take care of a wife who he very well may loose. Most of all, I am team aware as I sit here waiting for test results to find out if I get to draw the short straw and experience the same hell that thousands of my sisters around the world have had the misfortune of experiencing first hand. 

            And Holly, don't forget that cancer is s****y, no matter who gets it, no matter where they get it. There is no such thing as a good cancer. No one ever enjoys their chemo. It all sucks. Cancer does not discriminate. It doesn't care how rich you are, how old you are, what color you are, where you live, it eats you little by little. Sometimes people survive, but they have residual effects the rest of their life, but mostly it just robs people of the people they love.  I lost my dear friend George to Stomach Cancer, and my dear Grandma Ruth and Granddad to Colon Cancer. My Sister Stella had Ovarian Cancer, and my sister Bobbie had Cervical Cancer. Holly, I am team aware. Don't make it fun. Next time, name your team F**k YOU Cancer! and I'll buy your first tee shirt.

Reviews

[maria ( rose)]

The title caught my eye for sure and you plagued on the topic of the story very well ...I noticed a few ''minor'' mistakes as I was reading. You may want to go back and reread & edit as per an example. -'She asked in her too much coffee and overly cheer voice. But over all, I liked the moral of the story. And just like you said ''Cancer does not discriminate'' and it is a misfortune for millions of people who have or is dealing with this horrible disease.

Good Luck and Keep up the great work!! We all become better writers with lots of practice and reading so I say BRAVO to YOU !! Don't ever stop writing & I look forward to reading more of your work ..maria