Free Hot Pink in the City by Medeia Sharif

problems.
    Wahib's business card. Even though the man is
obnoxious and wanted to rip us off, I don't want to forget what I
had done. My scrapbook contains both the high and low points of my
life.
    There's also a picture of a dancer in a tutu
and leggings I found in a magazine. I've been dying to dance, but I
haven't had a chance to so far. I need room, and there doesn't seem
to be any inside the basement apartment or even outdoors with the
thick crowds of New Yorkers. I also want to be on that show I saw,
but Nasreen thinks it's a bad idea. Maybe I'm just not meant to be
in the limelight.
     
    ***
     
    "What have you seen so far?" my mom asks.
    "Oh, you know, the typical places... the
Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty..." I'm lying through
my teeth. Nasreen and I are too busy finding a replacement Kulthum
tape to do any real sightseeing.
    "Lucky girl to see such places."
    "Yeah. The Cloisters are beautiful, and I've
lost track of the museums I've gone to." When did I become such a
liar? I've never lied this much to my mom before.
    "Are you careful in the subway? You're not
going out at night, are you?"
    "No." That's true, I don't go out at night,
but I'm not careful in the subway. When I'm out with Nasreen, we
check out guys, listen to our Walkmans, and sometimes read a
newspaper, unaware of our surroundings. Dad would tell me I'm a
mugger's dream.
    "What are you doing now?"
    "Uncle is going to take me out."
    "Have fun. We love you." She smacks her lips
together in a loud kiss, and we hang up.
    We're going out tonight. I'm not painting the
town red... I'm seeing more uncles.
    In my family uncles, aunts, and cousins are
important parts of our lives. During my vacation time, I'm with at
least one of the clans. I've been to Los Angeles, Paris, Toronto,
and many other big cities thanks to these family members. My
parents don't believe in hotels. I've never stayed in one. We stay
with family.
    It's a relief my parents aren't here with me
now. Not just because I want to be free, but also because years ago
we all actually stayed in the basement apartment... for an entire
week. Talk about uncomfortable claustrophobia. Nasreen and I shared
the bottom bunk. My brothers shared the top bunk. Mom slept on the
living room sofa, while Dad slept on the floor next to her. We were
packed like sardines in this sarcophagus , to borrow
Nasreen's term. At least it's just me representing the family, not
that I'm doing a great job since I ruined Uncle's tape. But tonight
he won't be looking for his tape since we're all going to Uncle
Javed's home in Queens.
    Omar doesn't feel like going, though. "I
don't want to go, Baba," he pleads, his big eyes turning sad in
front of Uncle.
    "All right, you don't have to go," Uncle
says. "Your sister and cousin will come with me, and you can stay
here with your mother."
    "But I don't want to go either!" Nasreen
says, crossing her arms under her chest.
    "You are going. I can't go there by myself.
They'll think none of you want to visit."
    "We don't."
    "Stop it, Nasreen. You and Asma are coming
with me."
    Nasreen's jaw muscles look as taut as violin
strings. Omar gets his way, while we young ladies have to do what
the menfolk say. We go into her room to change. I don't want anyone
looking at my legs and judging me, so I switch to jeans. "You know,
a thought just came to me. Maybe this is a good opportunity to look
for tapes at Uncle Javed's place," I say.
    "Hey, you're right," Nasreen says, her mood
brightening. She smiles. "Uncle Javed's cassette collection is just
as big as Dad's."
    "I can't quite remember where it is," I
say.
    "I know where to find it," she says. "And
it'll be easy getting there. Uncle Javed doesn't breathe down
people's necks like Dad does. If he catches us, I'll tell him I'm
interested in his collection, and he'll think I'm exploring my
roots. Dad doesn't want me looking through his music, but Javed
will be happy. My family always complains I'm listening to devil
music, so they'll be