Sports Shoes salesgirl
07 Jan 2002 Mon, 6:52PM(+9:00gmt)
hidoko Matsumoto

the store was where I worked,
and where I worked they sold

Sports Shoes.

Sports Shoes of every colour
and size and fit and purpose

in the store business crawled
though we the servants fought

"looking for anything?"

"i want bigger"
"sure."
"i want smaller"
"sure."
"i want this"
"sure."
"i want that"
"sure."
"give me this"
"sure."
"give me that"
"sure."

a smile plastered on my face
friendly, efficient, emotionless

"no more discount?"
"no more discount."

i explained no, no more discount
and after trying on six pairs 

they shake their head,

"too expensive."

and leave.

i sigh, throw my hands up

that morning, my boss' face was
as black as burnt charcoal.

"the profit margin for this
roughly nine dollars per pair"

months ago, my aunt had a business
years ago, my dad had a business

now their enterprise's all gone
they struggled, like i do,
but the economy's pillars 
were weak, fragile, 
and country's people
were stingy, kiasu;

puppets of the media
puppets of advertisements

we strove, we fought, we bit
against the rushing tide
large business against small

we strove, we fought, we bit
and we fought a losing battle.

Now,

i work at a store; the
Sports Shoes store

*I* get no commission, *I* get 
little rest, *I* don't get to 
sit down and *I* get fired.

partime sales; partime student
the bank after Daddy's ass

we strove, we fought, we bit
against the rushing tide
large business against small

we strove, we fought, we bit

Sports Shoes of every size
and colour shine under the
floodlights, while we fight,

out of S$49 the shoes' material
costs are no more than S$6

the labour costs are no more 
than S$5 per pair and only
$9 for us to pay the rents? 

for us when the fucking
rental is $500 per day?

10% discount-- $5 gone
we get $4 for rental...

Sports Shoes of every size
and colour shine under the
floodlights, while we fight,

"the profit margin for this
roughly nine dollars per pair"

embroidered on the leather
the words "FILA" and "ADIDAS"

words woven in thread wink at me.

we strove, we fought, we bit
against the rushing tide
large business controls small

and we fight a losing battle.


http://xz0ne.cjb.net
voidmatsumoto@yahoo.co.uk