From Boss to Barista

Accustomed to getting whatever he wants from life, Bradley was always used to being in the dominant position, to being the boss and not having to obey anyone. So when he found himself in a magic wig shop, waiting for his new disposable chick to pick something up from here, then it was not a big deal for him to try on one of the wigs that stood on the shelves for a joke.

"Don't touch that," the old woman warned, her voice trembling. "It has powers beyond your understanding."

Bradley smirked and scoffed at her. "Powers? Lady, these are just wigs. Get real."

The old woman's eyes narrowed. "You should leave now. I don’t have time for disrespectful brats."

Bradley ignored her and placed the wig on his head. "What's the worst that could happen?" he mocked.

Instantly, a tingling sensation spread through his body. His muscles felt as if they were shifting, his skin prickled, and his clothes began to morph. Bradley turned to the mirror, expecting to see a distorted version of himself. Instead, he saw a completely different person: a young woman with tattoos, large hoop earrings, and a confident yet slightly confused expression.

"Whuuut the heeell...?" (What da hell...?) Bradley muttered, his voice now higher and softer, while woman in mirror is repeating everything he does.

"Damn! What did I tell you!? I said don't touch that," the old woman behind him yelled, her voice filled with anger. "Now I have to make my Ghetto waitress wig all over again!" she sighed, frustrated.

Bradley—or rather, Alicia—turned to face her, eyes wide with shock. "Yo, what you talkin' 'bout, lady?" (What are you talking about, ma'am?) she said, then frowned, realizing how different she sounded. She tried to speak again, her voice coming out in the same strange, unfamiliar way. "Dis can't be real!" (This cannot be real!)

The woman shook her head, a wry smile on her face. "It is very real, my dear. You have become Alicia, a young woman in the inner-city." Her expression suddenly grew serious. "Listen, Alicia, now that you're stuck in your new identity, I need you to do something for me. There's a young boy-"

"Yo, what the hell you on 'bout?! I ain't no dumb broad, quit talkin' that mess!" (Hey, what the hell are you talking about?! I'm not some dumb chick, don't talk nonsense!) she paused, confused by the foreign words escaping from her own mouth. "Why I talkin' like dis?" (Why am I speaking this way?) Alicia again turned to face her reflection in the mirror, feeling heavy earrings on her ears that pulled them down. Her hands came to her mouth in disbelief while her gaze stopped at her too long and fake nails that felt foreign under her touch.

The old woman smiled kindly, placing a gentle hand on Alicia's shoulder. "It's going to be all right, dear. Your life as Alicia will be different than the one you knew as Bradley, but it can be just as fulfilling - if not more so."

Alicia stepped back, shaking her head in denial. "Nah, you gotta be shittin' me! You some voodoo chick, playin' wit' my mind? Ain't gonna work, I know magic is fake!" (No, you're joking with me, you witch! You're playing with my mind? This will not work, I know that magic doesn't exist!) she rushed toward the shop exit.

"I gotta get back to my crib, my ride-" (I need to return to my home, my car-) she paused when suddenly didn't find the car parked out front, as if it had disappeared without a trace. Her phone vibrated loudly in her back pocket and Alicia quickly fumbled to get it. She pulled it out, staring at the unfamiliar screen filled with messages from people she didn't know. "Yo, who dis?" (Who is this?) she muttered, scrolling through the texts. 'Yo, where you at, girl? You late for work!' one message from 'Tony' popped up.

She frowned, trying to remember what work meant for her. "I gotta get back to my office... my meetings..." (I need to return to my office... my meetings...) she mumbled, but as she tried to recall details of her high-powered job as a businessman, the memories slipped away, replaced by something else entirely. Instead of it in her mind flashed images of serving tables at a diner, rude customers, and taking tips. "Fo' real, I’m a waitress now?..." (Am I really a waitress...?).

Sge gulped and slowly went to the bus stop. She felt strange stares from passersby, which made her very uncomfortable and annoyed at the same time. Her hair, pulled into two ponytails, swayed from side to side, touching her shoulders, making her even more furious. Although inside she still thought that it all was just some kind of bad joke, she was no longer Bradley, the powerful businessman. She was Alicia, a young woman who lived a life very different from what she'd known.