An Eastside Story

     This assignment was supposed to take an old fairy tale from our childhood and modernize it. I wanted to make this ironic but fun in the way it related to the original fairy tale. This piece is slightly Gossip Girl and Sleeping beauty combined and I had fun writing it.

                Once upon a time, in the land of Manhattan, lived an Upper-Eastsider named Briar Rose. She was quite an alluring beauty with flowing blonde hair, gentle blue eyes, and a body that could cause a car accident. She lived in the penthouse in the tallest building in the Upper Eastside. Her parents, Stefan and Leah, owned many of the buildings in Manhattan and were seen as the most influential power couple around.

                But when Briar was a child, she was cursed with an awful disease called narcolepsy. This misfortune caused Briar to fall asleep at random moments, but, with a doctor’s help, her family and her family had been able to help resolve the problem, though it could never be fully gone. Planned naps and a good night’s sleep kept Briar from having episodes.

                One day while Briar was out shopping after her first daily nap, her Louis Vuitton stilettos caught on a sidewalk crack. Briar stumbled and almost fell if it had not been for the man who caught her just in time.

                “Oh my goodness!” exclaimed Briar as she struggled to regain balance. She looked up and in front of her was the most gorgeous man she had ever laid eyes on. He had trimmed light brown hair, piercing blue eyes, and a well-tailored suit.

                “I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” stuttered Briar. She blushed at her clumsiness.

                “I should be asking you that. Are you okay?” he asked in return.

                “Yes, I am fine thanks to you. I’m sorry, again. Please let me make it up to you.”

                “I’m free tonight at 8,” the man said with a charming grin. “What is your name?”

                “Briar. Briar Rose. Yours? And eight sounds wonderful. I’ll meet you at the Poisoned Thorn?” she asked with a sly grin.

                “My name is Phillip. And I will see you there.” And with that, they parted ways until eight o’clock that night.

                Briar so caught up in a whirlwind of shopping, outfits, and Phillip completely forgot to take her second and third daily naps. By the time eight rolled around she was a time bomb wired with nerves and excitement. Her handmaid, Betty, had been ensnared in Briar’s whirlwind and forgotten as well.

                Betty escorted Briar to the Poisoned Thorn and promised to be back in an hour. Briar found Phillip and they sat and talked and ate. While sitting, Briar felt her nerves relax and her eyelids began to drop. A great big yawn escaped her lips.

                “Looks like someone’s a little tired,” joked Phillip. But as he was talking, Briar’s head was already laying on the table, peacefully asleep.

                Not thirty seconds later, Betty came running in. On her way home she had realized that Briar had not had her naps that day, which could only cause disaster. She ran over to the table where a confounded Phillip sat and a sleeping Briar lay.

                “What are you doing? You have you not helped her?” Betty screeched at Phillip.

                “What do I do?” He responded, still entirely confused.

                “She is narcoleptic! We have to wait for her to wake up or carry her out to the car.” Betty determined.

                “I’ll carry her. You grab her stuff.” Phillip gingerly lifted her into his arms and carried her down to the car; Betty following behind him with Briar’s purse.

                They drove to Briar’s house, Phillip insisting that he come and make sure she awakened safely. Betty made him wait in the loft as she put Briar to bed. Four hours later, she awakened and found Phillip asleep in one of her family’s armchairs. She gently shook him awake.

                “You fell asleep.” He stated.

                “I know. And you waited.” She said. “Thank you, even though I missed some of it I still had a wonderful evening.”

                Phillip stood. “So did I. Maybe next time, we’ll be able to finish the date?”

                “I would like that,” Briar said, as she walked him to the elevator. He turned and looked at her before giving her a quick peck and stepping into the elevator.

                “Until next time…” He said with a smile, and the elevator doors closed.

And they lived happily ever after.