I finished my deliveries in a bit of a daze. My cumbersome body never once allowing me to forget my situation. Over and over again I heaved myself out of the van and waddled the package I was delivering to it's destination, all the while thinking "I know something is wrong here.", but never able to remember what it was.
Finally, I drove back to dispatch, tired and wanting nothing else but to call my girlfriend and tell her I just wasn't up to going out tonight. I thought again how odd it was that a 400+ lb, middle-age black woman would have an young, athletic, white girlfriend. Susan Paxon was a lovely, collage-educated girl - a perfect combination of brains and beauty - and we'd been dating for several years now, just waiting for the right moment to get married. I knew that was right...and yet I wondered how it could be. After all, if I started dating her when she was 16, and she was 22 now, then that meant I was 37 when we'd met. Had her parents actually let an obese, 37-year old black woman date their daughter?
I squeezed out of my truck, and saw that bastard Sullivan waiting for me. He and I'd never gotten along, and I knew he had a crush on Susan. He was a creepy little shit, whose aunt owned the beauty parlor I'd delivered to earlier, and who often spoke of magic as if it was real. I'd been warned not to cross him by my co-workers (it seemed that at least one other driver had disappeared after arguing with the little vermin), but I didn't let anyone push me around. And besides, he'd been practically stalking Susan for weeks now.
"Hey, Beulah! How'd your run go? Everything go well?"
He seemed friendly enough right now, though being called 'Beulah' by him gave me a momentary start. Only momentarily, though. After all, my name was 'Beulah Brown'.
"Ah'm fine, Sully." I drawled, as I squeezed my bulk out of my van. Sullivan surprised me again, helping me out and holding my clipboard for me while I got my balance. No doubt about it. I HAD to get a receptionist job. Driving was just too tiring for a woman of my size.
"Here you go, Beulah..." he said, handing my clipboard back to me. "...and how did it go at my aunts beauty parlor?"
"It went jus' fine, Sully." I answered, again amazed at how friendly he was. I thought it wouldn't hurt to be friendly back, and I showed him my nails. "In fact, they done mah' nails fo' me while ah was waitin'. Nice job, huh?"
He smiled as he inspected my new nails, then looked-up at me. "Well, it's plain to see that everything went...well. I'd asked my aunt to give you 'Special Treatment' while you were there. It's plain to see that you got it. You know...I'd never noticed what a perfectly well-nourished, mature woman you are, Beulah. By the way, I managed to pull some strings and get you a position in dispatch, working for Mister Biggs."
I gasped at that. I must have sorely misjudged Sullivan. Here he was, being just as polite and friendly as you please, and to top it all off - he goes and gets me a better position inside the dispatch office! And working for Parker Biggs, the District Supervisor himself! I couldn't restrain myself, and I cried aloud in delight and threw my big arms around him, pulling Sullivan against my huge, soft body and giving him a loud kiss on the cheek.
"Oh, Sully..." I cried, bubbling with happiness "...you sho' are mah guardian angel! Ah jus' been thinkin' 'bout gettin' that position all day! Thank's, Sully! Ah sho' am glad ah got's you as a friend!"
Sullivan smiled (as happy as I was, I noticed it was a smug, satisfied smile) and said "Not at all, Beulah. I'm glad to help. Oh look, here comes Susan Paxon."
It turned and saw the lovely, young woman as she entered the room, looked over at us, and smiled. She ran in our direction...