Chapter 46
My blood jumped when I saw an attachment from Anwar in my email. I was afraid he was going to start sending me unsolicited dick pics. But it was a picture of the tree.
from: [email protected]
Hi “Cat,” I wanted to share a picture with you of the tree. Also I’m curious how you can afford to pay hundreds of dollars. You seem young from talking to you. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want.
Sincerely,
Anwar
The tree looked nothing like I’d expected. It had a girthy trunk that twisted around another then split apart. The ash-green leaves were sharp, slender, with a silent drama that reminded me of Van Gogh’s brushstrokes, of his loud, colorful lines.
from: catherineelise202@
It’s gorgeous! I didn’t think it’d be that big. I don’t make a lot of money but I live at home. I’m twenty-four. How old are you?
from: [email protected]
to: catherineelise202@
I’m glad you enjoyed the picture! We are very close in age actually. I’m twenty-six. I’m the oldest in my family. My brothers are twenty-one, seventeen, and thirteen. Do you have siblings?
from: catherineelise202@
No, I’m an only child.
from: [email protected]
to: catherineelise202@
Ah. My brothers are annoying but I think I would feel very lonely without them.
He asked what I did for work, and I told him I was a server.
from: [email protected]
to: catherineelise202@
I don’t know what you mean when you say you work in a sausage restaurant. Do you mean a cart on the side of the road that sells sausage wraps or something?
from: catherineelise202@
LOL in DC we have this sausage called a half-smoke. It’s like a thicker hot dog and it’s half-pork, half-beef that’s smoked. The restaurant where I work, that’s kind of our specialty, if you can call it that.
from: [email protected]
to: catherineelise202@
That sounds terrible, what is it, just bread and sausage? No spices or anything?
to: catherineelise202@
from: [email protected]
Omg nooo it has cumin, coriander (I think?), chili powder, and you garnish it with onions, herbs, mustard.
from: [email protected]
to: catherineelise202@
Ah, ah, okay. I was going to say that sounds very dry.
When I was in high school I worked in this shawarma restaurant and I found the experience so stressful.
You have to chop the meat from a pole in really thin slices with this saw (saw?
Like a metal tool?) and I always had nightmares about cutting my finger off and accidentally serving it to a customer.
The best part however was that we ate for free.
I can’t eat chicken shawarma now because I ate so much then.
What kind of music do you like?
I was suddenly embarrassed by my taste in music but there was no point in lying.
from: catherineelise202@
Beyoncé is like my everything. I also love SZA, Doja, Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo. What about you?
from: [email protected]
to: catherineelise202@
I LOVE Doja Cat. I also like Issam, Shadia Mansour, Mohamed Ramadan, and Tin Nen. Have you heard of any of them? They’re big here but probably not where you are.
from: catherineelise202@
I haven’t heard of them but I’m going to check them out now! Yeah Doja ATE that last album
from: [email protected]
to: catherineelise202@
Ahaha she ate her album?
from: catherineelise202@
No like it slapped lol
from: [email protected]
to: catherineelise202@
Slapped who??? What??
from: catherineelise202@
Sorry I mean it’s a great album loll.
from: [email protected]
to: catherineelise202@
Oh okay, haha I was like slapping people must be a big thing over there.
Can I ask you a question? Why did you name the tree Joel?
from: catherineelise202@
It’s my father’s name.
from: [email protected]
to: catherineelise202@
Ah okay. Joel is a Hebrew name so I was just wondering.