The B Girls

Boot Scoot Boogie





"I can't go out in public dressed like this," Mae said. "I thought these clothes were going to be fun but I feel like I'm wearing a costume." She shuddered. "People will laugh at me."

Lucy thought Mae looked adorable in her western wear. After Mae's confession that she indeed didn't own a pair of jeans, Lucy had insisted they go shopping for Shitkicker clothes at Wild Bill's. "Look at it this way, it would have been worse if we'd opted for the square dance clothes."

"Mae, you really need to loosen up," Jane said. "You take this whole conservative suburban soccer mom thing to the extreme. When was the last time you went to the grocery store in your sweats?"

Mae looked vaguely horrified at the thought. "I never leave the house like that."

"Do you even sit around the house like that?" Jane asked.

Mae shook her head. "Too many people coming and going from my house. I like to be presentable."

When Jane arched an eyebrow, Mae got defensive. "There's nothing wrong with always wanting to look your best."

"Of course there isn't," Lucy said giving Jane the eye.

Jane ignored Lucy. "No, there isn't anything wrong with wanting to look your best but everyone has a skanky sweat and tee shirt day. No one would think less of you if you forgot your mascara every once in a while."

Mae shivered at the thought. "Easy for you to say."

"What does that mean?" Jane said.

"It means, I never see you running around in sweats and even if you did you wouldn't have to worry about anyone looking down their nose at you because of it," Mae said. She ground her cigarette out in a ceramic dish they'd brought out to the patio for use as an ashtray.

"You're right I don't have to worry about it and neither do you," Jane said.

Lucy squinted at both of them with concern. "What's going on here? Mae, why would you think anyone would look down their nose at you for any reason? Especially your clothes. You've seen the way I dress. We live in the same neighborhood for God's sake." Lucy had never met a pair of jeans or sweatpants she didn't like and the very thought of wearing something that had to be ironed--except for weddings, funerals and the occasional church service--gave her hives.

Mae's lower lip trembled. "You don't understand, either of you. You never had to." She looked at Jane. "Your mother probably dressed you in designer diapers and I'd bet everything I own that you were the queen bee at your high school." She turned to Lucy. "And you, you're one of those people that can get away with anything by being 'creative' and 'intellectual'. Well, I'm here to tell you it isn't like that for all of us. Some of us live on the other side of that coin."

"What the hell are you talking about? Just because you came from a peanut farm in South Georgia instead of the city? Or some college campus?" Jane said.

"I lied."