No Soy Estupida
by Bonnie MacBird
Can you help me?
Do I know U?
No. But can you help me?
Help U what?
Escape.
Don’t know any EENA. Who R U?
I am in danger.
Well, I am in Starbucks.
They are coming to get me.
OK, I’ll play. Who is?
Three men. In masks!
R they cute?
No joke. Please help me.
Eena is not a name. Who is this?
Mmm. My name! Please help.
Mmm. Thinking soy latte. Grande.
Help me! Danger!
Want me to call the cops for you?
NO DON’T CALL THEM. Come, please!
Silence.
Tina?
How do U know my name?
Please come!
Sorry. Just put my soy latte order in.
Please! I’m in the old VW bus across the street!
That old thing with painted over windows?
Yes.
Dream on.
They are holding me hostage in here.
Who is?
Told you. Three men. Masks.
Seriously?
Only one is here now. Sleeping. We can take him, Tina.
Really? Hearing superhero theme music.
Together. Maybe. Please hurry.
Wow. So…how did U get my number? And my name?
I dialed randomly.
And U randomly got someone across the street from U?
Okay, I am lying about random. But I AM in danger.
Lying?
Didn’t dial randomly. I have a device that picks up nearby numbers.
No way! That exists?
And shows the name. It was in Wired last month.
Like I read Wired.
Can you help me?
RU a girl?
He’s waking up. OMG.
U want the police. Not me. Calling now.
No, NO!
Why?
They will kill me.
But U want ME to come into that van?
Yes.
No soy estupida.
What?
Pun. Soy. Get it? Also…“ I am not stupid” in Spanish.
Not funny. I may die.
We R all going to die.
I mean now.
Two options. Stop texting me. Or accept my offer to call the police.
There is another way.
Calling now. And…My soy latte is here.
NO!!!! NO!!!!
Oh, hell. They put regular milk.
What?
I ordered SOY.
Help me.
OK your van is rocking now. What is going on in there?
Silence.
Hello?
Silence.
Hold on. They’re remaking my latte. Soy. SOY. They are idiots.
Aw.
You are heartless. Unbelievable!
Who is unbelievable? Unless U R driving, U can’t be texting and dying at the same time.
You are a very entitled young woman.
Wait. Aren’t U a young woman?!!
No.
Old woman?
No.
Cause I assumed…. From UR tone of voice.
Never assume.
Not to mention UR girly sounding name. Eena.
Not my real name.
Who IS THIS?
Your father.
WHAT?????!?!!!!????!!!!
You heard me.
No way.
It’s true.
What color was my baby blanket?
Pink with Hello Kitty.
Silence.
It’s been what, 10 years?
Eleven.
U R now going by “Eena”?
Pseudonym.
Tell me U didn’t do a Caitlin Jenner on me.
Of course not.
UR still a guy?
YES!
And RU really in that ridiculous van?
I am.
Why?
I came to reunite with my baby girl.
I’m 15. F you.
Tina, I need to see you.
Hold on. My latte is here.
Silence
So, Dad. Why all this craziness?
Silence.
If U see me, why not come over HERE?
Silence.
Oh, silence. Typical.
Tina. Will explain.
U can’t just pick up w me. U LEFT US!
Things were getting too hot.
Birthdays? Christmas? Card too hard 4 U?
I sent a card.
Once. 11 years.
I’m sorry. I had to run.
Yeah. Too bad UR a criminal.
I’m here for you now.
Yeah, in a serial murderer van.
Give me a chance.
UR not my dad.
Come on! The Hello Kitty!
Not enough.
Come here to the van. I’ve changed.
Silence.
Tina?
Somebody taught me not to get into cars with strangers. Wait. I think that might have been you.
Don’t get smart with me, young lady.
Yep it’s you.
Come on over.
Hey! Biological dad! Be happy for me!
Biological? You have another dad?
Yes.
But Mom can’t marry him cause she couldn’t find U to divorce U.
Silence.
Well, I’m here now.
Thrilled.
Now you’re talking!
Not about you. They got my latte right. SOY milk! Double shot.
We need to talk.
Oops. Out of Splenda. Hold on.
Kind of in a rush here.
Parking meter run out? Aw.
Honey I’m giving you to a count of three.
Wait! She’s gone back to get some.
One.
Here she comes.
Two.
Oh, she brought the blue ones instead.
Two and a half.
Hold your horses. What’s the rush?
What’s that sound?
What sound?
Sirens!
Nah.
You called the cops.
Not me.
The COPS. I said NOT TO DO THAT.
That a problem because?
Dammit, girl!
U should have known.
How?
U always said I never listened 2 U, Dad.
App