An Unwelcomed Happy Ending
This week in New York I finally decided to treat myself to a massage. I always have knots all throughout my body but my neck and shoulders have been next- level tense. Girl lemme tell you somethin. I saw the cutest little massage place on my way to my Brooke and Mary Commercial Class last week. And so I decided that I’d go back there. I googled the wrong place and ended up somewhere else. Before even going in, I observed it from the street. I thought: ‘Hmm... It’s on the second floor? Looks kind of... sketch... but then again, not everyone can afford ground floor retail space. Maybe it’s not sketch... naw. That’s looks sketch as hell. The place I meant to go to isn’t THAT far away.... but then again... it’s so cold and this place is RIGHT here. Okay. Let’s give it a chance...’
Y’all. I went inside. Signed up for a thirty minute neck and shoulders and a thirty minute foot massage. He set his little timer for an hour. Thirty minutes in and it’s time for him to work on my FEET. It felt so good, that I fell asleep.
I repeat I fell asleep.
I woke up to someone massaging my VERY upper thigh area and remembered I wasn’t at my boyfriend’s place. I was still up in this ghetto massage place! Oh HECK no. I gave it a minute, giving this man the benefit of the doubt.
NO NO NO NO NO. This old man was inches away from a place where he was not invited and not welcomed! Baby I know I’m cute and I know you don’t see a ring but that does not mean that I 👏🏽WANT 👏🏽YOU. Do not mistake my kindness upon entering this establishment for anything but what it is.
I laid there and at first wasn’t sure what to do. It’s kind of a vulnerable thing to establish boundaries when you’re butt naked in a room with a stranger. But I realized that if I didn’t stop him, I was about to be in a very uncomfortable situation. So I grew a dick and spoke up and said NO.
Ladies, say it with me: NO!
Again: NO!
Alright, it’s starting to get easier.
Y’all who know me know that I am always finding myself in crazy situations. And most of the time, I roll with the punches. On this particular day at this particular place with this particular person, I HAD A ‘NO’ IN MY SPIRIT. There was not a “Yes And” anywhere in sight.
For a whole few seconds, I was paralyzed with fear. But Thank you God for giving me the confidence to advocate for myself. And to simply say, No.
