urban_memories [the unfinished polaroids]

She was a girl who rarely asked for anything. She never really wanted or needed anything; when and if she did, she would never ask it of you. She would get it herself, which at times, drove him mad.

This time, not only did she know what she wanted, it seemed that she had researched it too.
She did say “Royal Python”…

He smiles, runs his fingers through her hair, and looks back at his white screen…

- What? I am serious!
- Habibi… we’re not getting a python.
- It’s pretty cool. My classmate has one and she was walking around with the python on her arm. I held it and it crawled on my arms and shoulder… it is so beautiful.
- Babe!… we’re not getting a python.

She stands, disappointed, and sits on the other blue couch that is perpendicular to his, and that she too, hates so much.
She picks up her black laptop, places it on her lap, and raises her legs up on the same coffee table, perpendicular to his… toes almost touching.

- I didn’t think you were going to say NO to this.

He did not answer.
But for the next few hours or so, all he did was research that thing...

Royal Pythons, or Ball Pythons as they are often called, are beautiful motherfuckers that don’t grow too much. They hang around in aquariums or tupperwares even, and require little maintenance. Apparently, they make excellent pets, they could hang around for years, they come in many colors and patterns, and they are bloody expensive!!! [argument 1]

They also eat mice!!! [argument 2]

- I was looking at that Python thing yesterday. They also call it Ball Python.
- I know. I researched it yesterday too.
- Hehe... so did I.
- You can leave them in tupperwares and don’t require much you know!
- They are very expensive.
- How much?
- They vary with colors. The albino is the most expensive, and goes around 2.400$

She frowns.

- The cheapest one I was able to find online was for 700$. But it’s not as beautiful.

She shows sadness…

- There was this one pet store, I passed by today that was selling it for 100$. They didn’t have it on display, but said that they could get me one. But I didn’t like the sales person there.
- Okay… 100 is good. We can look elsewhere…
- Hold on.
- What?
- Who is going to feed it?
- She smiles.
- No way! I will never, ever, kill a mouse and feed it to a python.
- We don’t have to kill it. We just give it to him.
- Well first of all, some say that you have to kill it because the mouse may pluck the python’s eyes out, or even scratch its skin. Add to that, the fact that throwing a living mouse in the aquarium with the python is the cruelest thing; in the wild, the mouse at least has a chance to escape.
- Well… okay. Let me think about it. We'll talk later...

She goes, assumes laptop position again, and starts typing.

He thinks that he won the battle. There is no way she will be able to feed the python with the due cruelty that the procedure requires. She is too sweet for that…
He can finally regain peace.
…

- Hey! We can get frozen mice. It says here that they are sold in packets. Pet stores carry them.

Baffled, unprepared, and taken by surprise with this counter argument, he shudders:

- The day I defrost frozen mice in my microwave, I will dance naked in -20C weather!

She comes in the house, locks the door, and stands at the doorway. She takes off her coat, hangs it neatly, and then tends to her snowy shoes. She lays them tidily in their allocated space.

She removes her hat, lifts both arms back up, and arches her back as she fixes her hair with a brisk brush.

She takes a deep breath, and lets out a long sigh as she glances across the room. She picks up her bag, removes her black laptop, places it on the coffee table in the living room, opens the lid, and turns it on. Then with a big smile, beautiful as ever, she comes and sits quietly next to him, hands cutely placed on her knees joined close together.


He was sitting quietly on the blue couch he hates so much, and from across the room, he could watch her as she elegantly unfolds. He was contemplating every sway of her unrehearsed ritual.

He was writing, his white laptop placed on his knees joined close together, and his legs were raised and resting on the coffee table in the living room.

He loved watching her. Everything she did seemed meticulous, special, and effortless. He lifts his head, looks her straight in the eyes, and smiles back at her.


- What? He starts.
- Habibi! I know what I would like to have for Valentine’s!

He smiles.

- This is a first. Since when do we celebrate Valentine’s?
- I know, I know, but I really know what I want for this Valentine’s.
- What?
- A Royal Python!

She smiles.
Her eyes glitter.