Nirmala stood at the coffee shop counter reading one of her favorite computer magazines waiting for her shift to end. She worked until noon every Saturday even today -- her 19th birthday! No one had even said Happy Birthday! Not her dad, not her mother. Her parents wouldn't even let her have a party. Her friends all had parties! It was so unfair!
Straightening her over-size, crooked glasses again, Nirmala sighed looking at the pathetic cupcake with a single candle; a birthday present from the girl on the last shift. After work she had to go home and phone her parents to let them know she was safely home. Then she could log onto the dialup internet connection, not that she could get to any interesting sites; her strict parents had installed a powerful program that controlled the sites she could visit. Her parents had gone away every weekend this month to visit a holy man and talk about their marriage. Nirmala wasn't sure what the problem was; all she knew was there had been a big argument about her dad doing something with Auntie Amrita.
Across the street, Jack, 51, complained, "25 years with this company and they send me to the worst territory in the country! How can we sell to restaurants in this hick town?"
Jack, and the new trainee Norma, 29, had hit every restaurant in this Alabama town without making a single sale. Worse for Jack, he had a reputation to keep up. When out of town and away from his wife, he always scored, never failing to pick up a hot chick even if he had to use dirty tricks.
"Bet you can't pick up any girls in this town Jack" said Norma with a grin. "Betcha 20 bucks." She was bored.
"I've never missed yet. I've got the rest of the weekend!" Jack was delighted to take Norma's money.
"Not so fast." Norma added. "Let's make this interesting. You have to pick up the next waitress you set eyes on. Young, old, pretty, ugly, married, single it doesn't matter. Plus, I get to watch so you can't screw me on the bet."
Across the street was the last restaurant in the town; a small, run-down coffee shop.
Jack's face fell as he entered; there was the geekiest, nerdiest young girl he had ever seen; big nerdy glasses, shapeless sweater, absorbed in some tech magazine. Her hair carelessly fell over her face. She was Indian or maybe Pakistani. Not fair! He only did white chicks; mostly blonde, blue-eyed ones! Well, a bet was a bet!
"Hi young lady. Can we get a coffee here?" Jack started with one of his standard pitches.
Nirmala looked up -- a man and a woman in business attire. "Cream and sugar, Sir?"
"The creamier and sweeter the better, Honey. Maybe we could get a cherry also?" Jack threw the last part in for a laugh. He heard Norma snicker.
"Cherry? We don't have cherries, Sir." Nirmala replied, getting out 3 cups.
"Well maybe we'll get a cherry later," Jack grinned then noticed the cupcake with the candle. "What's the cupcake for?"
Nirmala looked at the older man, "It's my birthday cake."
"Oh, how old are you?" Norma asked.
"19"
"Why such a small birthday cake?" Norma wondered.
"I'm not allowed to celebrate." Nirmala pouted.
"That's a real shame," said Jack. "By the way, what's your name?"
"Nirmala, Sir."
"Nirmala? What kind of name is that?"
"It's Indian, Sir. It means Pure. Do you like it?" Nirmala, glad for some attention, responded cheerfully.
"Pure?" Jack grinned. "Nirmala is a de-light-ful name. Pure. I like that."
Nirmala was so taken with these nice, friendly visitors that she soon divulged her whole story. Nirmala's naΓ―vetΓ© amazed them.
Kind-heartedly, Jack offered to give her a birthday party at her home. Nirmala shyly said no until Norma explained how innocent it was; just some cake, maybe some computer games. Nirmala perked up on mention of computer games and said yes.
At noon, they came back with a birthday cake, a new computer game, some snacks and a large bottle of coconut rum. Picking up Nirmala they drove her home where she called her parents. Then she went upstairs to change while Jack and Norma arranged the cake and snacks.
Nirmala changed into a pretty yellow sari with red trim and a blue scarf. Under the sari she wore a tight saffron blouse. Looking awkward in the sari, she still wore her over-size glasses.
As Nirmala came down the stairs, Jack said, "That's a pretty outfit, Nirmala. What is it?"
"Thank you Sir. It's called a sari. It's a long piece of cloth that I wind around myself. It wraps around my waist and then over my shoulder and I tuck it in at the waist. My blouse is called a choli and it is traditional too. Do you like it Sir?" Nirmala was delighted with his interest. Her sari covered her right to her ankles but exposed her entire tummy, belly button and all. Her skin was a nice smooth coffee color.
Nirmala squealed when Jack handed her a pretty package tied with a bow. Inside she found a new release game and rushed upstairs to her computer to install and play the game. First, though, Jack handed her a cold glass of soda.
Sipping it, Nirmala remarked, "Sir? What kind of soda is this? I don't know the flavor."
Norma quickly piped in, "It's a new flavor. Coconut and cola. Do you like it? We have lots." She had laced it with a double shot of coconut rum.
Soon, Nirmala came back down with the empty glass and asked for more. Jack eagerly obliged her with another cola heavily laced with coconut rum.
After Nirmala went back upstairs, Norma remarked, "You know it isn't fair getting her drunk."
"It's called persuasion. I find booze is very persuasive." Jack retorted.
Norma agreed, "If she's stupid enough to let perfect strangers in her house for a party, then I don't care what kind of 'persuasion' you use. I just want to see what naked Indian girls look like. Let's wait a half hour then call her back down for her cake so we can see if she needs more persuasion."
"Nirmala, it's time for your cake," called Norma at the appointed time.
Nirmala came down looking a little confused. She stumbled as she walked to the sofa and sat or, rather, fell onto it.
"I'm sorry, I feel dizzy." Nirmala apologized as she looked excitedly at the cake with 19 candles.