Riches to Rags

Would this be the day? Tabitha had been optimistic that soon Jason would notice her. Receiving no response to her daily greeting, she slouched on a vacant seat toward the back of the bus.

Hoping to offset the persistent rejection, Tabitha exited the bus one stop early, planning to browse the windows of her favorite retro shop. A trinket caught her eye, and she ventured into the business.

“How are you today, Tabitha?” the store clerk came around the counter.

“All right.” Tabitha tried to hide her disappointment. “Just wanted to see if you have anything new in your inventory.”

Coming alongside Tabitha, Agnes put a hand on her shoulder. “You can’t fool me. What happened?”

“Jason continues to ignore me, as if I don’t exist.” Tabitha took a ragged breath.

“Will you let me assist you?”

Tabitha hesitated. Granted, Agnes resembled an overgrown teenager, but Tabitha imagined her friend’s days of boy-girl relationships long gone. “Well… what did you have in mind?”

“I’d like to give you something.” Agnes motioned for Tabitha to follow her to the rear of the shop, where she presented the girl with a gorgeous shirt. While the fabric didn’t exactly shimmer, it reminded Tabitha of her beloved aunt’s mother-of-pearl pendant. She anticipated wearing it the next day, wondering if Jason would notice.

“Hey, Tabitha, are you ready for the vocabulary test?” Tabitha stumbled in the aisle, shocked when Jason spoke. Assuming the shirt was having the desired effect, she smiled and gave him what she hoped was a coherent answer. She’d figure out a dozen ways to wear this article of clothing.

The next morning, Tabitha sifted through her clothes, searching for the shirt. Calling to her mother, she didn’t wait for an answer, but hurried to the laundry room, in case it had landed in the hamper.

“This rag?” Her mother held up an iridescent piece of cloth, shredded and in tatters.