In 1998, after I got back from my cross-country trip, I had a little gathering at my parents’ house with friends. Here is what I remember from that afternoon twelve years ago. There were sandwiches from Subway and snacks, my friend the Waffle Lady had her newly printed engagement pictures with her, and we were both wearing dresses. My dress was one that I absolutely loved. It was sort of mod and had flowers on it, and I can remember wearing it at that party and whenever I had the opportunity over the next few years, even when I thought I was getting too old to be wearing such a thing. In 2005, I finally let it go. I had lost a bunch of weight, and the dress was too big to have it taken in without messing up the flower pattern.
It was one of those garments that I thought of from time to time, that it would be nice to find something like it again. And, then, behold! Back in the early fall I found that very dress in a thrift store, two sizes smaller, for six dollars. What with me being old enough to no longer care about being too old to wear things, I bought it, and ever since, I have been waiting for the weather to warm up so I could wear it. Tonight I wore it for the second time this year, to my grandfather’s 94th birthday dinner. It’s still about a size too big and should be taken in, but I don’t mind.
Sometimes it’s the little things, like a six dollar dress (and amazing weather, and summer, finally), that make life magical and exquisite. I’ll take them all.
