"Oh, that one looks nice, " said Michele, as she watched the girl with the long leopard tail walk by.
"Yeah, I guess, " mumbled Shelly.
"What? Don't you like cat tails?" asked Michele glumly, nervously clutching at her own long calico cat tail.
"No, it's not that. It's just..." began Shelly.
"No, I agree with her. Too long and flashy. I like a nice bunny tail. Easier to manage. Like the one on her, " said Janna, as she pointed at the fluffy white tail poking out of the pants of the girl walking by. "For my next birthday, my Dad promised he would get me one. And that's the one that I want. What do you think, Shelly?"
Shelly didn't answer because she really wasn't paying attention to her friends anymore. She was too busy examining the tails of the other teenagers as they walked by their table in the food court of the mall.
What would have once been considered shocking was now almost routine. It was just ten years ago that researchers learned how to successfully graft animal tails onto human beings. That hadn't been the intention of the research, of course. They had been attempting to perfect transplantation of animal organs into human beings, including limbs. But after several years of research, only the tails seemed to be able to avoid rejection by the human body. Because it was attached to the spinal cord and coated by the dura, the tail was separated from the rest of the body by the blood-brain barrier and avoided rejection by the antibodies of the host.
The research was considered a failure, as most patients wanted working organs, not a vestigial organ shed from humanity long ago as they evolved. However, as with most of humanity's technological breakthroughs, what began as tool to advance mankind became a toy for their amusement. Trying to secure additional funding, a wily researcher marketed the tails as a fashion accessory available only to the rich and famous. When celebrities began to sport tails in public, it became a mark of wealth and taste. Increasing demand allowed tails to be mass produced, driving down costs. It was still relatively expensive, but as it became affordable to the upper middle class it quickly became a fad among the youth around the world.
Which was what led Shelly and her friends Jenna and Michele to the mall today. Like most teens, they often spent their free time at the mall, shopping or just trying to be seen. But Shelly's favorite activity was just people watching. She could spend hours just watching people walk by, listening in on snippets of their conservation. And of course, looking at their tails.
"Hello, space cadet...Earth to Shelly. I said, what do you think of the bunny tail?" asked Jenna again.
"What? Oh, sorry. I must have drifted off, " said Shelly.
"Geez. It's like you don't care. You do like animal tails, don't you?" asked Michele defensively. "Please tell me you are not one of those nutty weirdoes who think it is a crime against nature or God or whatever. "
"No, no. It's not that. Of course I like tails, " said Shelly quickly. She knew this was a test. Everyone who was anyone either had a tail or wanted one. Anyone who didn't was treated like an outcast, a social pariah.
"Then why don't you have one? You certainly can afford it and you have reached the legal age to attach one, " said Michele.
Jenna ducked her head a little. Her family was not poor, but they did not have the same resources as Michele and Jenna. It was probably the real reason she didn't have a tail now. Most likely, it would take her father a year to save up enough money for one for his daughter. And probably the real reason Jenna wanted a rabbit tail. Shorter tails from more common animals were less expensive.
Shelly tried to divert attention away from her blushing, embarrassed friend.
"Well, honestly, it's just .... well, it's just that I haven't seen the one that I really want," said Shelly.
"Really? " asked Michele with genuine shock.
There were literally hundreds of tails to chose from. Almost any animal's tail could be transplanted. Well, within reason. It would be impossible to attach a large animal's tail to a small fragile human body. So, for example, there were no people with whale tails. And insect tails were also impossible. Theoretically, something like a bee stinger could be attached, but it would be so small it would be useless. But just about anything else was possible. Michele found it hard to believe that her friend could find nothing that she liked.
"C'mon. There has to be one tail that sort of interests you, " said Michele.
"Well, there is one tail I like. But you guys will think I am weird. And I don't even know if it is really possible, " said Shelly shyly.
"Aw, you can tell us, Shelly," said Jenna. "We are your friends. You can tell us anything. We won't make fun of you."
"Yeah, Shelly, tell us, " said Michele. She was really curious just what kind of weird tail her friend wanted. "If you could have the tail of any animal, any animal at all, what kind of tail would it be?"
"Well, " said Shelly nervously, " the tail I really want would have to come from a ..."