Prologue
CINDERELLA. Now there’s an amazing
story. My favorite in fact. A beautiful girl hidden away from the world until
fate said it was her turn to shine. There’s always a silent prayer in my heart
that one-day fate will give me that same chance, but, as if you haven’t already
guessed, I’m no Cinderella. Pretty much the only thing we have in common is the
name. Yeah, you heard me right, my drunk-ass mother actually named me
Cinderella. She’s the ONLY person allowed to call me that and that’s only
because if I kick her ass I’ll be homeless. You can just call me Cindy.
Unlike Cinderella my evil mother is
actually blood related and I still have a father, sort of. He comes around
every so often to steal money from me and fuck my mom – if she’s drunk enough
that is. Then again, I don’t know when she’s ever not drunk. She’s drunk as
shit all the time and she’s a damn bitch, but she did give me life. Not much of
one, but life all the same.
I live in a shit hole town in Kentucky
south of Lexington where I work two jobs. My day starts at 6 am when I go to
work at the only auto repair shop in town. CARS. My father’s one love and the
only thing the son of a bitch ever taught me about. Comes easy to me though and
it pays well so I’m not complaining. I work with a couple of dumb-ass guys who
I happen to love. We’ve been best friends all my life. Consequently I’ve picked
up quite the colorful vocabulary and I’m not exactly what you’d call
“lady-like.” In fact Danny and John would probably think I’m a dike if I hadn’t
fucked ‘em both at one point.
I try to be a good girl, but my momma
didn’t exactly teach me any morals. I’m no slut but I do like to fuck almost as
much as I like to use the word fuck. It just has to be on my terms. Nobody
touches me without my permission. My father tried it once, when I was 14.
Kicked him so hard I actually retracted one of his testicles. As soon as he was
able he kicked the shit out of me but it was worth it. The bastard never
touched me again. After that, Danny and John taught me how to fight and now
nobody will ever touch me again.
Anyway, after a long-ass day in a
dirty shop I go home long enough to shower and change into anything I can find
that’s not covered in grease – which isn’t much. Then it’s off to my second job
as a bartender. ALCOHOL. My mother’s one love and the only thing she ever
taught me that was worth a damn. The place is called Hal’s and it’s the only
sad excuse for a bar this shit hole has, which is why I know every face in this
godforsaken town. At least that makes
life interesting. A bartender really does hear it all and there’s more than
enough dirt in this town to go around.
I hate having to work so much but I do
it to keep the heat running in the shity rundown trailer my mom and I live in.
That, and somebody has to pay to keep my mom drunk. She’s a bitch all the time
but it’s a thousand times worse when she’s sober. On the bright side, working
seventy hours a week keeps me away from home, if you can call it that. When I’m
not working, I’m usually hangin’ out with Danny and John, kickin’ back a beer
arguing over who’s the best at “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire”.
I know it’s not glamorous but it’s
life, my life, and it’s all I’ve ever known. Again, I’m no Cinderella and I by
no means bare my situation with a smile all the time. Nor do I periodically
burst into song and talk to rodents, but I do try and make the best of it. Sure
I occasionally fantasize about the day prince charming comes to whisk me away
from this hellhole, but I definitely am not waiting for it. Hell, I doubt I
deserve it. I don’t have time for that nonsense anyway. Even if my prince ever
did show up he’d have to bite me in the ass to get my attention and then I’d
probably kick the shit out of him for biting me. I’m hopeless.
***