"Out of the Mouth of Babes" - an Urban Legends short
The following story was originally written sort of backwards over the course of several weeks. I tried my best to streamline it and put it in chronological order, fleshing out most of the characters along the way. None of the kids really had any distinct personalities before the story started. They still aren't quite full-fledged characters, but at least I have something to work from.
In the end, this piece is really more about characterization than anything else. it was my attempt to get across what kind of person Jasmine Morikawa was without resorting to exposition. Jas is one of my more long-running characters that went all the way back to the origins of the Urban Legends series. For a longest time, she was a little more than a prop, a mother of one of the major characters and nothing more. But thanks to some surprising real-life inspiration, I was able to give her something of a proper personality. And, like I said, I hope that this short would at least be able to get some of that across.
The story is set in the same continuity as other Urban Legends shorts. No magic this time (though that doesn't mean those characters won't show up in stories with magic in the future). And, unlike the other stories, this one is set in Evanston, a college town immediately north of Chicago.
Anyway, without any further ado...
Out of the Mouth of Babes
Four members of Evanston Township High School track team sat on the amphitheater-style benches at Grey Park, a medium-sized park off of Main Street, Evanston. After a grueling Saturday morning run, they were all too happy to kick back, relax and drink as much water as their water bottles could hold.
Mitch was the newest member of the team. He could tell the rest of the guys weren’t quite sure what to make of him, but at least they didn’t shun him, which at least made them better than those New Trier assholes. So he decided to bring up something that has been bugging him since last meet.
“So,” he said, “who is that chick Toshi hangs out with?”
Toshi wasn’t the best runner on the team, but he was the one the girls seemed to talk about. Not that he could blame them - even he had to admit that Toshiro Masterson was a nice-looking guy. But the older girl he saw Toshi with really intrigued him. She was way hotter than any girl he’s seen at ETHS.
“Which one?” Travis shrugged. “Toshi’s got lots of female friends.”
“Yeah,” Malcolm added, “Dude’s got more chicks hanging around than he knows what to do with.”
Like he said - Toshi was popular with girls. Mitch sighed.
“You know, the older girl who came to the last meet. He went and talked to her after the race. Is she, like, his sister or something?”
The rest of the team exchanged glances.
“Oh, you mean Toshi’s mom?” Travis said.
“That’s his mom?” Mitch gasped. “No way! There’s no way a chick that fine would be anyone’s mom.”
“She had Toshi when she was 19,” Travis explained. “Or something. I’m pretty sure she’s still in her 30s.”
“God damn,” Mitch had to sit down and process it. “She doesn’t look that old.”
“No duh,” Mike said. “She is Asian. You know how Asian chicks are.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Travis glared.
“Oh come on,” Mike said. “You know how Asian chicks always look younger than they are. It’s like sushi gives them youth and shit. Look at Margaret Okuda’s mom. Look at Mrs. Lo. Hell, look at your mom. There’s no way a any white chick would look that good in her 40s.”
“You have a point,” Travis acknowledged with a sigh. “I just wish it didn’t sound so racist. And can we please not talk about my mom?”
“Sure, whatever,” Mike said. “Toshi’s mom is way hotter anyway.”
“True dat.” Mal grinned. “Have you seen that ass? She could be a cheerleader with that ass.”
“Forget the ass,” Mike said. “Have you seen her eat a hotdog? If she can swallow that much, I bet she can swallow something else.”
Mitch felt a little tight around his pants all the sudden. She did have a really nice mouth.
“Come on, Mike,” Travis said. “Cut that out. That’s Toshi’s mom we’re talking about.”
“Whatever,” Mike said. “My mom says Toshi’s mom still goes to the clubs downtown and hooks up with dudes. And chicks. Everybody knows that you can have a party at Toshi’s place on Friday nights ‘cause Toshi’s mom won’t be here.”
“I heard she and Mrs. Nelson used to bang,” Mal offered.
“Is Toshi’s mom a lesbian?” Mitch perked up. He was a little disappointed, but still - lesbians.
“Nah,” Mal said. “Toshi’s mom just fucks everyone.”
“She is bisexual,” Travis rolled his eyes. “And she doesn’t fuck everyone. She definitely wouldn’t fuck you.”
“Are you saying she’s a racist?”
“No. I’m saying that she doesn’t sleep with assholes. And you are being a major asshole right now.”
“What?” Mal frowned. “Like you wouldn’t tap that ass.”
“Okay, I admit - she is pretty hot,” Travis allowed. “But this is Toshi’s mom we’re talking about. Not some… floozy. Show some respect.”
“Damn right,” a cheerful voice suddenly interjected. “Hi, guys.”
Heads turned as a skinny, medium-haired woman not much taller than Travis walked down the amphitheater seats and stepped the middle of the group. Strands of black hair cascaded around her face, and her glasses shone against the sun. She wore tight, faded jeans and a white t-shirt with handprints that made it look like someone went crazy with paint and pawed her all over.
After what he heard, Mitch wondered if that’s exactly what happened.
“Ms Morikawa…” Travis started to say, but the older woman’s raised hand cut him off.
“It’s okay,” she said, “You guys think I’m hot. Nothing wrong with that. I am pretty damn hot. But I draw the line at banging.”
All Mitch could choke out was a startled “huh?”
“Don’t get me wrong - you guys aren’t bad-looking. If I were your age, I’d probably go for it. Can’t say I’d mind me some track team sandwich… But that’s just not going to happen.”
She sat atop of the picnic table and continued.
“I’ve known you guys since you were ten. I watched you play with water guns and throw dirt at each other. Travis - remember how you and Toshi used to leave with Legos all over the living room?”
Travis nodded.
“Malcolm - remember when I babysat you and you kept throwing meatballs at me? Your mom felt so bad she helped me clean up the living room.”
Mal cringed.
“And Mickey. Oh Mickey Mickey Mickey. Remember that time Margaret chased you all across the playground trying to kiss you and you cried bloody murder because you were afraid to get cooties? And I had to tell you that cooties aren’t a real disease?”
Mike looked down at the ground.
“That’s not sexy. Like, at all. I’ve known you guys since you were little kids. I just can’t think of you as anything other than kids. You can fantasize all you want, but it’s never going to happen. Ever. Got it?”
“Yes, Ms. Morikawa.”
“What about me?” Mitch spoke before he could think. “I didn’t know Toshi that long.”
Toshi’s mom smiled. It was such a delicious smile.
“That’s true. That’s very true.” She brushed her hair, and for a moment, Mitch dared to hope that she might actually consider it. “But” she raised her finger, “if I fucked you, it wouldn’t be very fair to everybody else, now would it. Good try, though. Points for creativity.”
Toshi’s mom looked around the group:
“Oh, and Travis?”
“Yes, Ms. Morikawa?”
“You didn’t insult me. You didn’t call me a slut and you actually worried about my feelings. That’s good. As for the rest of you little hooligans - if you want a girl to like you, treat her with respect. Just a friendly tip.”
Travis smiled, and Mitch hated him for being so damn pleased with himself.
“Now, if you don’t mind, I really got to finish my shopping, so I’ll see you guys later.”
And with that, Toshi’s mom hopped off the steps. The entire track team watched as she adjusted her purse and walked away.
They looked at each other, not quite sure what to say next.
“So… That was Toshi’s mom?” Mitch said.
“That was Toshi’s mom,” Travis sighed.
“God damn… She’s really does have a nice ass.”
The entire group exchanged glances and erupted in laughter.
Because, whatever else may happen, they could at least agree on that.
2011 (c) strannik01
In the end, this piece is really more about characterization than anything else. it was my attempt to get across what kind of person Jasmine Morikawa was without resorting to exposition. Jas is one of my more long-running characters that went all the way back to the origins of the Urban Legends series. For a longest time, she was a little more than a prop, a mother of one of the major characters and nothing more. But thanks to some surprising real-life inspiration, I was able to give her something of a proper personality. And, like I said, I hope that this short would at least be able to get some of that across.
The story is set in the same continuity as other Urban Legends shorts. No magic this time (though that doesn't mean those characters won't show up in stories with magic in the future). And, unlike the other stories, this one is set in Evanston, a college town immediately north of Chicago.
Anyway, without any further ado...
Out of the Mouth of Babes
Four members of Evanston Township High School track team sat on the amphitheater-style benches at Grey Park, a medium-sized park off of Main Street, Evanston. After a grueling Saturday morning run, they were all too happy to kick back, relax and drink as much water as their water bottles could hold.
Mitch was the newest member of the team. He could tell the rest of the guys weren’t quite sure what to make of him, but at least they didn’t shun him, which at least made them better than those New Trier assholes. So he decided to bring up something that has been bugging him since last meet.
“So,” he said, “who is that chick Toshi hangs out with?”
Toshi wasn’t the best runner on the team, but he was the one the girls seemed to talk about. Not that he could blame them - even he had to admit that Toshiro Masterson was a nice-looking guy. But the older girl he saw Toshi with really intrigued him. She was way hotter than any girl he’s seen at ETHS.
“Which one?” Travis shrugged. “Toshi’s got lots of female friends.”
“Yeah,” Malcolm added, “Dude’s got more chicks hanging around than he knows what to do with.”
Like he said - Toshi was popular with girls. Mitch sighed.
“You know, the older girl who came to the last meet. He went and talked to her after the race. Is she, like, his sister or something?”
The rest of the team exchanged glances.
“Oh, you mean Toshi’s mom?” Travis said.
“That’s his mom?” Mitch gasped. “No way! There’s no way a chick that fine would be anyone’s mom.”
“She had Toshi when she was 19,” Travis explained. “Or something. I’m pretty sure she’s still in her 30s.”
“God damn,” Mitch had to sit down and process it. “She doesn’t look that old.”
“No duh,” Mike said. “She is Asian. You know how Asian chicks are.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Travis glared.
“Oh come on,” Mike said. “You know how Asian chicks always look younger than they are. It’s like sushi gives them youth and shit. Look at Margaret Okuda’s mom. Look at Mrs. Lo. Hell, look at your mom. There’s no way a any white chick would look that good in her 40s.”
“You have a point,” Travis acknowledged with a sigh. “I just wish it didn’t sound so racist. And can we please not talk about my mom?”
“Sure, whatever,” Mike said. “Toshi’s mom is way hotter anyway.”
“True dat.” Mal grinned. “Have you seen that ass? She could be a cheerleader with that ass.”
“Forget the ass,” Mike said. “Have you seen her eat a hotdog? If she can swallow that much, I bet she can swallow something else.”
Mitch felt a little tight around his pants all the sudden. She did have a really nice mouth.
“Come on, Mike,” Travis said. “Cut that out. That’s Toshi’s mom we’re talking about.”
“Whatever,” Mike said. “My mom says Toshi’s mom still goes to the clubs downtown and hooks up with dudes. And chicks. Everybody knows that you can have a party at Toshi’s place on Friday nights ‘cause Toshi’s mom won’t be here.”
“I heard she and Mrs. Nelson used to bang,” Mal offered.
“Is Toshi’s mom a lesbian?” Mitch perked up. He was a little disappointed, but still - lesbians.
“Nah,” Mal said. “Toshi’s mom just fucks everyone.”
“She is bisexual,” Travis rolled his eyes. “And she doesn’t fuck everyone. She definitely wouldn’t fuck you.”
“Are you saying she’s a racist?”
“No. I’m saying that she doesn’t sleep with assholes. And you are being a major asshole right now.”
“What?” Mal frowned. “Like you wouldn’t tap that ass.”
“Okay, I admit - she is pretty hot,” Travis allowed. “But this is Toshi’s mom we’re talking about. Not some… floozy. Show some respect.”
“Damn right,” a cheerful voice suddenly interjected. “Hi, guys.”
Heads turned as a skinny, medium-haired woman not much taller than Travis walked down the amphitheater seats and stepped the middle of the group. Strands of black hair cascaded around her face, and her glasses shone against the sun. She wore tight, faded jeans and a white t-shirt with handprints that made it look like someone went crazy with paint and pawed her all over.
After what he heard, Mitch wondered if that’s exactly what happened.
“Ms Morikawa…” Travis started to say, but the older woman’s raised hand cut him off.
“It’s okay,” she said, “You guys think I’m hot. Nothing wrong with that. I am pretty damn hot. But I draw the line at banging.”
All Mitch could choke out was a startled “huh?”
“Don’t get me wrong - you guys aren’t bad-looking. If I were your age, I’d probably go for it. Can’t say I’d mind me some track team sandwich… But that’s just not going to happen.”
She sat atop of the picnic table and continued.
“I’ve known you guys since you were ten. I watched you play with water guns and throw dirt at each other. Travis - remember how you and Toshi used to leave with Legos all over the living room?”
Travis nodded.
“Malcolm - remember when I babysat you and you kept throwing meatballs at me? Your mom felt so bad she helped me clean up the living room.”
Mal cringed.
“And Mickey. Oh Mickey Mickey Mickey. Remember that time Margaret chased you all across the playground trying to kiss you and you cried bloody murder because you were afraid to get cooties? And I had to tell you that cooties aren’t a real disease?”
Mike looked down at the ground.
“That’s not sexy. Like, at all. I’ve known you guys since you were little kids. I just can’t think of you as anything other than kids. You can fantasize all you want, but it’s never going to happen. Ever. Got it?”
“Yes, Ms. Morikawa.”
“What about me?” Mitch spoke before he could think. “I didn’t know Toshi that long.”
Toshi’s mom smiled. It was such a delicious smile.
“That’s true. That’s very true.” She brushed her hair, and for a moment, Mitch dared to hope that she might actually consider it. “But” she raised her finger, “if I fucked you, it wouldn’t be very fair to everybody else, now would it. Good try, though. Points for creativity.”
Toshi’s mom looked around the group:
“Oh, and Travis?”
“Yes, Ms. Morikawa?”
“You didn’t insult me. You didn’t call me a slut and you actually worried about my feelings. That’s good. As for the rest of you little hooligans - if you want a girl to like you, treat her with respect. Just a friendly tip.”
Travis smiled, and Mitch hated him for being so damn pleased with himself.
“Now, if you don’t mind, I really got to finish my shopping, so I’ll see you guys later.”
And with that, Toshi’s mom hopped off the steps. The entire track team watched as she adjusted her purse and walked away.
They looked at each other, not quite sure what to say next.
“So… That was Toshi’s mom?” Mitch said.
“That was Toshi’s mom,” Travis sighed.
“God damn… She’s really does have a nice ass.”
The entire group exchanged glances and erupted in laughter.
Because, whatever else may happen, they could at least agree on that.
2011 (c) strannik01