I wanted to post daily and use the daily prompts, but I’ve been a bit under the weather lately. Not sick, per se, just unhappy, stressed, you know the drill. Life stormed in when I was hoping for a slight breeze. Nothing’s quite going as I’d hoped this week, which brings me to today’s subject: Tell us about a time when everything actually turned out exactly as you’d hoped.
This was a while ago when my son was a toddler. It had been ages since I’d been out to do something I wanted to do and my family agreed to watch the boy so I could go out once. It’s been about the last time I’ve had that offer, but at the time it was so what I needed. I can’t recall how it came to my attention, but there was a vampire ball at the goth club in the city that I had been aching to go to.
I was going to a ball.
For background, I spent my entire teenage life devouring Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles and reading as much Gothic literature as I could find with a vampire theme: Carmilla, The Vampyre by Polidori, Dracula, supposed true tales from history anthologies, short stories, you name it. It was my thing.
When the night came, I had managed to find a hair piece that was just what I needed to get my hair in to the style I was hoping for. I’ve never been able to do hair worth a damn and mine always falls, but this worked. My dress was great, I managed to find a corset that fit, I had the boots, the makeup, and the will to get there. I set off on my own a little nervous to drive in the city. I figured that I’d never find the place and was amazed at how easy it was and not only that, for any of you familiar with San Francisco, I actually managed to find a parking space! Downtown! I was maybe a half block away.
Now, my shyness makes things impossible for me when I go places alone. I end up going and standing on my own like the Smiths’ song goes. I went in not quite knowing what to expect. I had my idea of going and finding a nice quiet corner where I could sit and watch people. I managed to find that and a drink, checked my bag and then wandered.
The second I stepped into the downstairs space I felt like I had suddenly landed on my home planet. Everyone was if not elegant, in something that I could admire. The lights were dim and cycled red and white, the dance floor was full, there were men in top hats and velvet coats, women in gowns, kids dressed like the frog brothers from The Lost Boys and a guy even dressed as Blade. I was an appreciative audience.
Everything that came on was a song that I knew and most I knew every word to. I walked down the stairs slowly with my gown in my hands and managed to get some male attention. My shyness undid me a bit, but I felt so at home there just watching people.
I met a woman who said I did the place justice with my demeanor and struck up a conversation. In the midst of it all, I had the perfect moment. The music suddenly changed tempo and everyone came out to the dance floor for a waltz. Women with their dresses twirling and the men with their coats flowing out behind them as they spun; it was my dream. The only thing better would have been if I’d had a partner to dance that waltz with.
It has been a wish of mine ever since that I will find someone willing to wear an outfit like that and waltz with me as my Dracula at the Vampire Ball. One day I may. That night, I had no idea, but the guy who would become my future best friend was in the crowd. I had no idea that a few weeks later I’d meet him and start a grand adventure. It was a beautiful beginning and a great night.