I work in a little grocery store with a friend who says my hair is pretty. We stock shelves. We bag groceries. She teaches me Spanish. I give her chocolates. She is from Peru. I wear a name tag: Jamie They/Them. Some people stare. I know. They say “sir” too loud, too often. I hate it! I tell my friend. I stretch my left hand out. “Hombre.” Then the right. “Mujer.” I find in between. “Jamie en media.” I’m in the middle. “Muy dificil.” It’s so hard. My friend hugs me. I cry. It is so nice to be loved.
Jamie McElhatton is a writer and works in an organic grocery store. They live in Alexandria, Virginia.