Sofia’s Dream
Sofia stood in the local Goodwill looking at a scuffed pair of Mary Janes. She dreamed of the day she would wear nice heels and a wedding dress. In her daydream, she wed Vincent.
Vincent flipped burgers while she waited tables. They were just friends. Not even friends, just acquaintances. They traded small-talk whenever they happened to get a lunch break at the same time.
She had missed the way his eyes lingered as she flitted about the diner,seating patrons or taking food to one of her many tables. She worked harder than the other wait staff, but she made it look easy.
She took more tables because it made more in tips which she saved diligently. She would have that dream wedding someday. Perhaps not with Vince, but with someone she hoped.
One day, at break, Vince asked, “Would… would you like to go to dinner sometime?”
Pretending to misunderstand, Sofia said,” I never eat dinner here. I eat lunch here. That’s enough. But, I do eat… dinner…”
“No, I mean somewhere else… with me. You know, like a …date.”
“I-I- I would like that very much. L-l-like where”
“Guido’s?”
“That would be nice. I-I mean, I’ve never eaten there.”
“Tonight? At six?” Vincent asked.
That would give her little time to get dressed and meet him at Guido’s. It would give her three hours, but that wasn’t enough time to get ready for this date!
“Tomorrow at six?” Sofia countered.
“It’s a date!”
The break was over, and Sofia, distracted, went back to her tables.
The rest of the day, Sofia dreamt of the date and mentally sorted through her closet to find something to wear. She became panicked when she realized she had nothing to wear to a nice place like Guido’s.
The evening found her back at the Goodwill, searching for something to wear. Everything was too casual or a discarded prom dress. She found herself panicked again.
“Did you find everything?” asked the cashier.
After explaining her dilemma, the cashier mentioned a place called Office to Evening in the next town. They specialized in the resale of clothing.
After searching the racks there, Sofia was sure she had found the perfect dress and was glad she had asked for the extra day.
Walking toward Guido’s, Sofia saw Vincent, wearing a secondhand but appropriate suit with darkness beginning to stain the underarms. Vincent saw Sofia and was taken aback. She looked stunning.
After that date, there were many more.
Finally, they saved enough for Sofia’s dream wedding.