The Fault in Our Sombreros

chapter one

Late in the summer of my seventeenth year, my mom decided I was Mexican.

I had never thought about it before. It wasn't really talked about. I tried to convince my mom that I wasn't Mexican, but she dragged me to the doctors to get me tested.

"Now, Hazel, I'm Doctor Smith and I'll be running a few tests on you. I'll be looking at your behaviour and your reactions to different situations. Could you please step into the white room." Doctor Smith gestures towards an open door. I enter a room of pure white, with padding and a darkened glass panel on one side of the wall.

As I walk in, I turn and say to her, "You know, this really isn't necessary. I've already told you I'm not Mexican." I stand in the middle of the room, waiting. The door I came through is shut. Apparently Doctor Smith ignored me. I await my instructions.

"Ahead of you a table will appear with two food choices on it," Doctor Smith's voice announces, through a speaker I can't find. "All you have to do is pick whichever one you want more."

A table rises. On the left side is a bowl of spaghetti. On the right, a plate of nachos.

I go straight for the nachos. Their crunchy deliciousness mixed with the spicy salsa sauce drenched in melted cheese was just so tempting. I didn't even glance at the spaghetti. I scooped up a corn chip and bit down on it, hearing it crunch and snap. 

Mmmmm.

The table disappeared. Test one down. I hear Doctor Smith's voice on the speaker again. "Next you will be offered two options for the ideal home. Once again, you just have to choose whichever you want more."

Two scenes popped up. One was a modern Hollywood mansion, looking out over the city. The other, a picture perfect image of the wild west. I look at it, it's prickly cacti and sandy desserts, tumbleweed, festivity-ish colours mixed with the the old wood.

I step towards it and place my hand on it, choosing the wild west over Hollywood. The landscapes disappear.

"Okay, now Hazel. This is the final test. Two options, pick the one you want most." Doctor Smith's voice echos throughout the room.

Two outfits appear, modeled on store dummies. One extremely fashionable, short shorts and a flowy singlet. The other, a poncho and a sombrero with a fake moustache. It was beautiful.

I reached out and stroked the poncho. I reached out to take the sombrero, but they disappeared right before my eyes. 

"Alright, Hazel, you can come out know," Doctor Smith announced. The door opened. I turned and walked through, disappointed I hadn't been able to keep the sombrero. I was met by my mother who was looking at me worriedly.

She took me into her arms and held me tight. I could feel her holding back an ocean of tears. I instantly knew what the results were going to be - she wouldn't be acting like this if they were good.

"Come on, Hazel. Let's go home," she said softly, and we turned and left.