The Cost of the American Dream

Patria was the oldest of ten children, born to Don Miguel and Aurora. At the age of fourteen, Patria along with her father acquired visas and migrated to the United States, while leaving every single thing she knew behind. She longed to attend school and one day become a secretary. Don Miguel dismissed Patrias’ dream and was exacting about her securing full-time employment. Working conditions in the factory were laborious. Coming to America represented the forfeiture of Patrias’ childhood along with her dreams. It meant deplorable working conditions, riddled with exploitation, and denigration. Don Miguel’s goal was to work tirelessly alongside his daughter to secure the resources required, to ensure the remaining nine children and wife passage into the U.S. Patria worked for six years straight until reaching the age of twenty which was earmarked by two of her siblings entering the country. Patria ran into Gabriel, a former childhood neighbor from back home whose circumstances were contrary to Patrias. Gabriel’s family readily traveled to the U.S. on Holiday. As things would have it, Gabriel and Patria grew fond of one another and soon married. Gabriel treated Patria well, as the provider he ensured all her needs were met, never requiring Patria to contribute financially. Patria continued working to aid her father and siblings with securing resources for additional family members. The toll of unwavering commitment weighed heavily on her and continues to linger.

Labyrinth

Carolina worked as a bottle girl in an underground after-hours spot, with her allure, body, and personality, an average night yielded between $1,000 and $2,000 in tips. After numerous attempts at the 9 to 5 world, the numbers simply did not add up. Working forty hours per week at $15.00 per hour, after taxes the balance did not even cover room and board, in New York City. Besides, she truly felt alive and in her element after hours. Being popular with the customers garnered a great deal of jealousy amongst fellow bottle girls. Carolina had a knack for men with deep pockets, independent of their marital status. She bewitched the owner of the establishment where she worked, trusting abundance would flow. Quickly the lifestyle ensued. Jet-setting became her new norm, knee-deep in love, Carolina was that girl. The outpouring of love and affection (love bombing)was exceptional until Lorenzo alienated Carolina. He placed her in a high rise apartment, within a gated community, like a caged bird, while disappearing for weeks on end. Left without money or food, Carolina had to fend for herself, lacking in resources, she reached out to relatives for some sustenance. Carolina was undeterred by Lorenzo’s wife back in the states however clueless to his second wife and kids in Panama. Learning of his second wife left Carolina feeling lonely, desperate, and destitute. Patiently hoping for her lover’s return. As Mistress, holidays were reserved for wives, so Carolina was granted time before or strictly following the holiday, never during. The wives knew of Carolina, as she knew of the wives although no one dared to leave their covenant. Lorenzo excelled at grooming thirsty young girls who could easily be inspired/manipulated by the illusion of a lifestyle. Lorenzo frowned upon any sign of autonomy amongst his women. Needy co-dependent and grossly insecure were pre-requisites. Any sort of fraternizing without Lorenzo always required his consent. Approved outings were routinely subject to a last-minute cancellation by Lorenzo, just because he lived in perpetual fear of his women conspiring against him. Independent of having two wives and a mistress, Lorenzo routinely sought out additional women and never concealed anything. As a means to keep women away, Carolina often participated in dalliances with Lorenzo although nothing ever tamed him. After years of living in a labyrinth with Lorenzo, Carolina’s sole desire was a child which Lorenzo immediately denied ending everything for Carolina.

Poly Solo

I met Tabitha at a Labor Day party. She was very ingratiating. Tabitha immediately disclosed how she just purchased a sex toy, with a tongue attached to a suction device and how it is everything she requires in life. She goes on to share how she is Poly Solo. Poly Solo meaning many loves with emotional attachment although not having a primary partner. Tabitha equates having lovers too caring for plants, given each plant requires a different level of care. For example, some plants required very little water, while others require water three times per week. Some thrive in the sun, while others are best suited with indirect sunlight. She speaks of requiring substantial solitary time in order to show up in the world at her very best. Tabitha is keen on identifying precisely the needs of her lovers while ensuring her wants are met. She has a lover who requires nurturing once a month and happily, she obliges. She mentioned how she was involved with a married couple and enjoyed being intimate with the husband and how it was mutual. The husband asked if she was interested in a relationship independent of his wife, given they have an open marriage. The wife propositioned the exact scenario as the husband, although Tabitha found the wife extremely aggressive and opted not to engage exclusively with the wife. Overall, Tabitha said being the unicorn/third party in a marriage can be prickly. According to Tabitha, the downside of polyamory is falling in love with a partner and things suddenly ending and left with the task of picking up the pieces.
As a point of reference, Tabitha mentions a beloved girlfriend who is 87 and polyamorous. Her dear friend purchased a brownstone in the 1980s, moved in her besties into three apartments along with renting the additional units to single mothers along with families, and how it is a loving community, in which everyone looks out and cares for one another. The elders in the brownstone, occasionally provide childcare for the other tenants, while maintaining multiple lovers.
Tabitha likens being married to being taken for granted, overlooked, dismissed, and disregarded. She prefers to be desired and lusted over than be confined by societal norms.about:blank

Love On-Line

Intrigued by the description in his profile, outlining rules of engagement, hence no photo and solely provided upon request. The profile indicates married with no intention of leaving the spouse, only interested in hooking up. Curiosity got the best of her, Patria inquired about the profile pictures. The hookup was scheduled at Patria’s home. Guy shows up at the agreed-upon time, sex is had, the hour is up, Tim leaves. The hookup takes place every Saturday morning, at the same time, before Tim’s football practice. Tim is the assistant coach for the high school team as well as the gym teacher. Patria says the sex is amazing! Like clockwork, Tim texts on Thursday no later than Friday to secure the 7 am slot for Saturday morning. Patria dates extensively, has an engaging social life. Loves her couture wardrobe, never misses a session with her trainer. The thing is she can’t help but wonder what her life could be with Tim in the picture fulltime.
Obsessing over what the wife looks like drove Patria to Facebook to uncover how beautiful the wife is. Unbeknownst to Patria, when the hookup started, the wife was already pregnant, with their first child. The encounters continued. The child was born with a medical condition known as dwarfism, which caused the affair to be put on hold.
Patria continues to date and has viable suitors who are adamant about wanting a relationship, although she dismisses everyone.
By the time the affair resumed, Patria was unapologetically deep in love with a man who was true to their encounters and nothing more. The affair lasted three years, not once did Tim ever allow himself to be seen in public with Patria, invite her out on a date, remember a birthday or celebrate a holiday.

Facade of a Marriage

Marissa is the youngest of two siblings in a pious Filipino family. Thru no choice of her own, she is part of a very non secular community. Everyone in her world looks and speaks just like her, homogenous and not by accident. Independent of her affinity for caucasian men, her parents are adamant about Marissa solely dating Filipino men. To the point, her father and brother assaulted her on several occasions for dating white guys. Marissa has repeatedly feared for her safety, from her family and has had to call the cops to intervene. Growing tired of the beatings from her father and brother, she gave up on dating outside her ethnic group and agreed to marry a Filipino guy, within six months of meeting. Marissa’s parents adore her husband, unlike Marissa who feels repulsed by him. Marissa’s husband is a great provider, terrific dad simply doesn’t resonate with Marissa. Within months of being married Marissa gets pregnant and has a baby girl. She finds sex with her spouse arduous.
Luckily for Marissa, her husband is not a very sexual guy and is happy having sex twice a month. Marissa is very keen on her appearance and exercise regimen. She joins a local gym, and before long finds, herself entangled in an affair with her trainer. Feeling a sense of obligation and responsibility to her spouse and recognizing she is in over her head, decides to end the affair. She is unhappy in a marriage, that appeases her parents. Marissa contemplates divorce although realizes she has no money of her own and no means of sustaining herself and maintaining her lifestyle. Habitually finding herself falling in love with different men as a means of escaping a reality in which she feels trapped.

Two Pimps and a Death

Alejandra was born and raised in a very remote part of the Dominican Republic, Loma de Cabrera Dajabon, in the Cibao region. The Dajabon river runs thru Loma de Cabrera and separates the city of Dajabon from Haiti. Extreme poverty was a way of life. Running water was sporadic, power outages were standard, food was sparse. Alejandra’s family home looked like a shack made of weathered wood, tin roof, and dirt floor. Don Ramon, affluent, highly touted pillar of the community, married with adult children, had a wanton appetite for little girls. Don Ramon propositioned Mateo, Alejandra’s father for her virginity. In lieu of fourteen-year-old Alejandra’s virginity, Mateo would acquire a business along with property, paving the way toward upward mobility for the family. Unbeknownst to Alejandra, the deal was made. The only thing left to do was get buy-in from Alejandra. With Mateo’s blessing, Don Ramon shows up at Alejandra’s home and invites her to ice cream on the other side of the city.
Alejandra remembers having her ice cream and losing consciousness. She wakes up in a panic, realizing she has left scratches resembling deep seeded wounds throughout Don Ramon’s face. In a daze, she remembers waking up in her home and feeling debased. Alejandra learns how her father was complicit and conspired against her, for material gains. Don Ramon bamboozled Mateo. Mateo, in turn, pimped his daughter. Within months, Don Ramon mysteriously dies. The man solely responsible for safeguarding his only daughter betrays her out of desperation.

Barbershop Chronicles

Manolo expressed interest in purchasing a product that helps in maintaining longevity in the bedroom, said he was experiencing a great deal of stress. I explained how the lidocaine desensitizes the head of the penis and prevents ejaculation allowing for a longer duration. Manolo had a great deal of concern given lack of experience with the lidocaine. I explained how you should not exceed three sprays to the head of the penis as well as how extensively lidocaine is used. Manolo purchases the product and asks me to have a seat. He tells me how he has a lover of seven years. It all started lightly, she had a man who got locked up, and they became entangled. Eventually, her man was released from jail although she no longer felt the same about him. Her man learned of her lover and confronted Manolo with a gun. Manolo married his childhood sweetheart, eighteen years strong, and two beautiful kids. Thing is he is desperately in love with his lover. His lover takes care of him in every sense of the word. She is drop-dead gorgeous, as is the wife. Manolo would never leave his wife and family, too much history besides his tribe is important to him. What stresses Manolo is when he has his rendezvous with his lover, the wife is sure to call, and it sends him on a tailspin, affecting his ability to perform, putting a damper on things. He shows me a catalog of photos of his lover. How she chronicles her summer days for him wearing next to nothing and him in great admiration.
Then he shows pictures of his very attractive and sultry shorty (side-chick) with a game only rival to his. Manolo tells’ how he created a fake Instagram profile to spy on his shorty and uncovers shorty has a much older, undesirable man, in the cut. Manolo does not knock shorty’s hustle and understands she belongs to the streets. Deep down he wishes his lover would end things with him, so he can move on and let go although he is certain she will never leave.