Today's Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul

[Guest guest]

A Daughter's First Dance

By Alice

She was just a little girl when her four big brothers

began going to dances. She helped polish their shoes, find

matching socks for them and went with her mom to pick up

corsages at the florist and suits at the cleaners. She'd

stand in a corner giggling as they posed with their dates

for photos and she always felt so special when they'd tell

her to join in the picture too. At the breakfast table the

next morning she'd sit wide eyed as she listened to their

stories from the night before.

" Don't worry, Amy, " they'd say. " Someday you'll go to

a dance, too. And then it'll be our turn to watch you and

the poor guy who's gotta pass our inspection. "

Of course, someday was never going to come, for she

was just a little girl with ponytails and a teddy bear.

And then incredibly, someday came, but the four

brothers were gone. She called the oldest in Connecticut

to tell him she was going to her first dance.

" Tell me about the guy, " he said.

She called her second brother at Northern Illinois

University.

" Tell me about the guy, " he replied.

She called her third brother at Eastern Illinois

University and her fourth brother at Notre Dame. They both

responded, " Tell me about the guy. "

Her wrinkled, rapidly aging parents logged 2,158 miles

looking for the perfect dress, while their telephone

compiled 964 minutes as she and her friends made plans,

canceled them, made new ones and changed them yet again.

At last the big night arrived and so did the brothers.

Dan came home to chauffeur the group. Mike arrived to

tease her, and Bill drove in because he realized how much

she wanted him there. Jack couldn't fly in, but the

bouquet of flowers he sent hugged her heart in a way she

would always remember.

Suddenly the door bell rang and the weeks of

anticipation were over. This was it! He was here! He was

everything a first date should be - good-looking, kind and

easy to talk to. Best of all, he attended her brothers'

high-school alma mater.

Once again, as in years gone by, the front room was

filled with beautiful young people as photos were taken and

flowers exchanged. Then, in a flurry of butterflies and

laughter, they were gone.

When the house was quiet her parents walked past her

bedroom. Amidst the wet towels, make up, nail polish, and

assorted clutter, he sat - the teddy bear - a reminder that

even though a young woman left for her first dance, a

little girl would still return home at the end of the

night.