Sherri's Red Crayon Blog

Last Friday night Kevin took me to the Opera at the Kennedy Center.  I was so excited to get all dressed up, I wore a strappless, long flowing gown in shades of Plum, Lavender and Silver.  It almost looked iridescent, shimmering and changing colors as I moved.  I looked like I was going to the Oscars!!


When we walked into the building, I started noticing that no one was dressed like I was.  I saw a few cocktail dresses, but mostly slacks and even some jeans!!  I’m thinking, I thought people got dressed up for these things?  I received compliments from the staff and random people in the atrium.  I felt like a princess!!!    Of course, I had never been to the opera before, and the only reference I had was from the movie Pretty Woman, which I feel like my life has paralleled the character in that movie.  One older woman approached me and said that it was the most beautiful gown she had ever seen!  We got our drinks from the bartender and of course, I had the pomegranate champagne.  Kevin had gone down to the ATM to get more cash so I stepped outside on the terrace with my champagne.  It was really windy, but I didn’t care, that only complimented me right?  Gown blowing in the wind, hair flowing, I must have looked fabulous!  I set my drink down on the fountain wall and immediately a big gust of wind came and blew my drink over.  I tried to grab it, but it continued to roll along the terrace with the wind.  I was pretty upset that I lost my drink so naturally I proceeded to chase the glass across the terrace!  How regal I must have looked!


I finally reached the glass, picked it up and (gracefully?) walked back into the building and straight over to the bartender.  With the poutiest face I could muster, I told him my glass blew over on the terrace and I really did try to save it…but could I please have another?  I glanced over at the security guard that had complimented me on my dress earlier, and she was clearly struggling not to burst into laughter!  “Did you see that?”  I asked.  She then burst out laughing and nodded that she had!  That’s ok, it could have happened to anyone right?  I also laughed it off and met Kevin in the atrium, it was already time to head to our seats for the show.  But I still had a full glass of champagne so, I did what any pretty woman would do…I chugged the glass, and when I pulled it away from my lips the champagne splashed out of the glass and in my eye!  Now I have champagne dripping down my face and in my bosom.  Class act right??  Kevin said…”Nice!  Now just don’t spit your gum out as your walking to your seat!!”


This reminds me of my second date with Kevin.  We had been invited to Kevin’s co-workers house to have dinner with him and his wife.  This was in 1996, I was a single mom at the time working as a waitress in Middleburg, VA.  I didn’t have much money but that never stopped me from looking fabulous!  There was a real upscale thrift store in Middleburg, so I went to pick out the perfect outfit and I decided on an adorable babydoll dress (mind you this is in the 90′s).  As I was getting ready for our date, I put on the dress, styled my hair, carefully applied my make-up, and for the finishing touch???  I chose a pair of hiking boots with the socks scrunched down.  Perfect!  Cute and Sexy.
As we are driving to his friend’s house, we approach a shopping center.  Kevin says, “we’re a little early, do you want to go inside and have a look?”  “I guess so.”  I say, thinking this is a little odd for a date but ok.


We immediately walk over to the women’s department and after browsing through a few of the racks, Kevin holds up a dress and says, “Do you like this one?”  I shrugged and said “sure”.  Kevin said, “why don’t you try it on?”  I obediently go to the dressing room, when I came out with it on to see what he thinks, he is holding a pair of flats in his hands and says “try these on”.  So now I’m wearing the dress and the shoes and he says that it looks great and wanted to know if I liked it.  I suppose so, I never would have chosen it, but it was nice.  I turned toward the dressing room to change back into my babydoll dress and hiking boots, when Kevin says, “Why don’t you just leave it on”.


Would you believe it wasn’t until months later, when I was telling the story to a friend who kindly pointed out that he obviously didn’t like what I was wearing, that I even realized this?!  I thought he was just being nice, since I had been working so hard and going without for so long.


It’s comforting to know that after all these years, money hasn’t really changed me… The same saying still applies…”You can dress me up, but you can’t take me anywhere!”  I’m still the same old Sherri, and proud of it!!