Mission Impossible: Mission Accomplished by Amanda Dcosta

Mission Impossible: Mission Accomplished by Amanda Dcosta

It was that time of youth when life was carefree and logic never existed.  Those were the college days, the good old days of fun and mischief. 

Did I just say mischief?  Apparently so!

Every afternoon, while in the final year of college, our classmate Nina was out on a date.  While Nina was a friend, she’d never trust anyone with her ‘secret’.  I am told this is typical female behavior, but what can you expect with two scores of women involved?

Our class was always curious as to who this guy was or where she went during that one hour.  She’d slip out of class before you’d even notice her missing, and be back on the dot of two, spending the lunch break with her beau.  In time we found out that each day, or every other day, she’d have a new boyfriend; one who’d be the unsuspecting target to pay for her lunch.  Convenient, don’t you think so? 

Now this being a ‘Women’s College’ automatically raised a lot of curious and inquisitive minds.  And of course, the excitement! 

“Why don’t we find out who this guy is?”

“Where does she pick her guys?”

“How does she manage to get lucky every day?”

 “What do those guys see in her?”

“I wish someone would pay for MY lunch!”

On and on the never-ending list of remarks continued.  However, no one was willing to do the ‘dirty work’ of playing the spy or detective. 

“Are you up for it?”

“No, I can’t do it.”

“But you have to try.”

“Not I.”

“Ask Mandy.”

“No, she won’t. Not her.”

“I doubt she’s up for it.”

“Mandy, you game?”

“Who?  Me?” 

“Yeah. You.”

“ Nah. I’ll pass.” 

“Nah, she’s not up to it.  No courage.  Not Mandy!”

“I dare you to take up the challenge.”

“Sorry girls.  Not this time.“

“I double dare you to spy on Nina.”

 “No Mandy.  Don’t do it.  We could all get into trouble.” 

“I double dog dare ya, Mandy.”

Uh oh!  Now there is no honor in spying on a friend but my reputation was at stake here.  I am no coward.  I’d NEVER turn my back on a challenge at school and this was no different.  Except it was a matter of ‘trust’ involved with a class mate.  Now you should know me… would I do such a thing as to spy on her? 

Oh yes!!!

“Machi, you’re coming with me.  We’re going to follow her today.”

Poor Machi was always timid.  Even though she pleaded to be left out, she had to go with me.  She was my best friend after all.

So off we set out on our mission; the dangerous mission impossible. (Music, please). To make a long story short, we followed Nina through traffic and then down a narrow street into a snack bar of ‘suspicious repute’.   She never saw us all the while.  (I still remember following her white polka-dotted, red umbrella that directed us through traffic).

Now that we’d entered this place to collect details about our protagonist’s victim, we had to order ourselves something to eat/drink.  Between the two of us we shared a juice and an ice-cream.  Drat.  $10. In no time we were out with supposedly steamy details, enough to make many ears flap with curiosity.  

Mission accomplished, we walked into class as smug as ever.

“All of you have to pay 25 cents to hear the details.”  

25 cents wasn’t difficult to dish out, and in no time we collected most of the cash we spent, short of one buck. 

And thus ensued the gossip session until Nina walks in…  

 “Nina, I need to borrow one dollar from you?  I’ll pay you back when I can.”

“Sure you may.  And don’t worry about the cash.  After all, what are friends for?”