雷起風(fēng)
I will be the first to say that I am not materialistic1). My friends label me as a goody-goody2); my parents say I am conservative and modest when it comes to clothes. I dont wear bikinis, and none of my skirts or shorts end above my knees. That is my choice.
So why, why did I feel so tempted? My family and I were in Target3), and there it was, waiting. A skirt, specifically designed not to cover anything. It was tan and looked like something one of those anime4) schoolgirls would wear.
I checked my purse. The skirt cost $10. I had the money. I could buy it. I imagined walking into school and my pals jaws dropping. Guys would ask me out, and I would be happy. I could buy it—no, I should buy it.
I showed my mother. She was surprised but said it was my decision. My sister looked on5) enviously.
I went into the dressing room to try it on. So sure was I that this skirt would change me, somehow make me not what I am but what I wished to be. I slid my jeans off and put it on. Now for the decisive moment. I looked in the mirror. There I was—a geeky6) girl in a Superman T-shirt and sneakers. My glasses fogged up as I started to cry.
The skirt did not change me. Though it fit well and might make me look good in the eyes of todays world, it was not me. I am not a girl who flirts7) or wears cool clothes to fit in.
I took the thing off and slid back into the comfort of modesty. My mom knocked on the door. "Emily, are you okay?"
I wiped away my tears. "Im fine." I looked in the mirror again and saw a blond skinny girl with dorky8) glasses and a ponytail. I saw myself.
我將是第一個說我自己不是物質(zhì)主義者的人。我的朋友們給我貼上了假正經(jīng)的標簽,我父母說我在穿衣方面比較保守和樸實。我不穿比基尼,也沒有一件裙子和短褲是高過膝蓋的。這是我的選擇。
那么為什么,為什么我感覺如此動心?我和我的家人在塔吉特百貨商場,而它就在那兒,靜靜地等待著。那是一條裙子,其設(shè)計獨特之處在于它什么也遮不住。它是棕褐色的,看上去像是日本動漫里的某個女學(xué)生穿的那種裙子。
我看了一下我的錢包。這條裙子售價十美元。我有這么多錢。我可以買下它。我想象穿著這條裙子走進學(xué)校,而我的小伙伴們驚得下巴都要掉下來的樣子。男生會約我出去,我會很開心。我可以買這條裙子——不,我應(yīng)該買下它。
我拿給媽媽看。她很意外,但她說讓我自己決定。妹妹在一旁羨慕地看著。
我走進試衣間試穿裙子。我很肯定,這條裙子將改變我,會以某種方式讓我不再是現(xiàn)在的樣子,而是我希望成為的樣子。我脫下牛仔褲,穿上裙子?,F(xiàn)在是做決定的時候了。我看著鏡子,那里面就是我——一個穿著超人T恤和運動鞋的土里土氣的女孩。我的眼鏡蒙上了一層霧氣,因為我哭了起來。
這條裙子并沒有改變我。雖然它很合身,還可能讓我在當今世人眼中看起來不錯,但這不是我。我不是那種為了跟別人合得來就賣俏或穿酷衣服的女孩。
我脫下裙子,重新穿上我那條樸實卻舒服的牛仔褲。媽媽敲了敲門:“埃米莉,你還好吧?”
我擦掉眼淚?!拔液芎??!蔽以僖淮慰聪蜱R子,我看見了一個一頭金發(fā)的精瘦女孩,戴著過時的眼鏡,扎著一個馬尾辮。我看見了自己。