A Mile in My Shoes (Chapter II)
The following is taken from the short story A Mile in My Shoes. Chapter One was released last week.
II.
“You have a record player? Well, let’s hear it.” The entire room stopped chattering and became silent and still as a vibrant, middle-aged Peruvian by the name of Chale Vilca took the 45-vinyl from its sleeve and placed it onto the record player. He set the needle down carefully. After a brief pause the scratchy music brought grins and amazement to the guests of the house party. They stared at the disc going round and round and slowly began nodding their heads as they searched for the rhythm.
More than a minute into the song a man with long, thick black hair broke the silence.
“How cool is this?” He looked around the room and smiled. Everyone returned the smile but said nothing, awestruck and into the moment, a first for nearly all those in the room. None of them had ever heard an actual record being played. The crowd slowly started to inch closer and closer towards the record player.
When the three-minute song finally ended the guests instantly asked for more. Young Devante, known to friends and family as Puma, proudly looked across the room at his father who had recently returned from the United States and brought several gifts home with him; toys for he and his sister, clothes for his wife, and records for himself.
“Sure, sure.” Chale took another record from a small, neatly stacked pile. By the end of the party, well into the night, he had played every album at least two or three times. Several guests had become enamored with the United States assuming that a place with such great music must be the place to be. They promised to visit in the near future. So did young Puma.
