A few days ago, I wrote a post about thinking of
my life as a book with seven chapters. If your life had seven chapters, what would be the titles of those chapters? My first chapter is
Ballet Shoes.
My best friend Susie took ballet. Her mom talked to my mom and told her that I should take ballet too. I had never been to a ballet performance. None of my friends back in Celina, Kansas, where we used to live, took ballet. Susie's mom told my mom that I needed to get a black leotard, pink tights, and shoes before my first class. I had coveted Susie's pink Capezio ballet flats with an elastic strap and now I would have a pair of my own. We couldn't buy ballet shoes in the town where we lived. That meant we had to take a trip to Toledo to a special store filled with leotards and tights and shoes.
Taking trips to Toledo to do anything was exciting. My mom and I went to The Ballet Theatre Shop on a Saturday morning. We entered the store and a very thin young woman with dark hair pulled tight in a bun asked us if we needed help. She lead us over to the shoe area and we sat and waited for her to bring out the shoes. As I waited, I looked around at the other shoes displayed on the shelves. The shoes that looked like narrow pink satin boxes caught my eye. I asked the skinny lady about them. She smiled and told me they were pointe shoes. I had no idea there were different types of ballet shoes. I was amazed to find out that people actually danced in those shoes. Even though I had never taken a ballet lesson and had never seen a ballet performance, I knew that I wanted to feel what it was like to dance in pointe shoes.
I always wanted to be able to use those pointe ballet shoes!! I would always pretend to that in my sneakers... I like the idea of your life in chapters. Thanks for sharing your first chapter of your life!
ReplyDelete--jee young
The details of your memory are intriguing. Of course, you've left me hanging! I hope there is more. . . Did you purchase the pointe shoes? Did you dance in them? Did you travel down the ballet path like Susie? Great slice!
ReplyDeleteAnd when you finally did was your first thought "OW!" Gosh those things kill. I must admit I still get excited when I walk into a dance supply store.
ReplyDeleteI really like the idea of writing your life in seven chapters. I, too, am worried about finding enough to write about during this challenge! Then I had to check out Choice Literacy--a site I had not heard of. Double bonus. A fun slice to read and a new resource.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Happy Writing...
You have shown the mystery that often comes in childhood experiences, & the willingness for children to go with whatever is happening (or going to happen). Thanks for sharing some of that first chapter of your life.
ReplyDeleteI can feel your passion for dance as well as how you must have felt that day. It's amazing how the small moments in the past follow us into our future without a second thought. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of thinking about one's life in seven chapters - I will do this tomorrow! Interesting how much the words "ballet shoes" were able to conjure up for you.
ReplyDeleteI think my first chapter would be "my life with dolls" - thanks for the inspiration to think about it.
ReplyDeleteDiana,
ReplyDeleteI love how much I learn about your childhood home through the telling of this story. You can't buy ballet shoes in your town, so I am guessing it was small and rural? Interesting, I am struck by how much is conveyed through the absence of things, such as friends who take ballet,
Another well crafted piece,
Erin
Love the memory. Did you perform? I felt your excitement of the trip to Toledo with mom. I'm anxious to hear about the other chapters in your life. :)MHG
ReplyDeleteWow! You have created quite a discussion with your story. Loved your story, and you left us hanging with questions. I don't think you will ever run out of things to write about, your ideas are so good.
ReplyDeleteI was also wondering if you ever got to the phase where you were able to dance in pointe shoes. My daughter wanted ballet shoes last summer for her birthday. I was so excited for her to open her ballet flats, but much to her dismay, they weren't pointe shoes. Sometimes I see her at her ballet class trying to do the positions on the points of her toes, but it doesn't really work too well with the flats!
ReplyDelete