Dallas, Texas

Jotting down a few notes about the individual pieces of clothing and how to pair them up, Sue Ellen then turned her attention back to her final client of the morning, Sandy, a fresh-faced, recently employed young lady who was looking for a little guidance and help gathering a wardrobe for her new job. It wasn't that she was entirely clueless or unable to afford anything nice, she was just young, a bit naïve and not in a financial position to purchase a whole wardrobe of professional clothing. After listening to Sandy's needs and wants, Sue Ellen had then done what she did best in the organization, selected clothing that would remedy the situation at hand and make Sandy feel good, and now, with a few piles of clothing in front of them, everything seemed much clearer and less stressful. "…I know it can be daunting when you're faced with so many individual items and many of them look as if they need to be paired with something that matches exactly, but do you see now why you don't have to be so worried? You can base your outfits off the way store mannequins and catalog models are dressed, but you don't have to follow those ideas so strictly that they dictate exactly the way you dress. Remember too that the majority of the time you're more conscious of being repetitive and boring in your clothing choices than other people are, especially in an office where most people are sitting at desks, focusing on their work, not walking around making conversation about fashion. Your boss will notice if you're dresses sloppily, and if he's anything like some of the men I've met, he'll also notice if you're dressed in a manner that draws too much attention to your assets, however, in my experience, he won't particularly notice the actual items of clothing you're wearing. Female co-workers are a little different, they may take more notice of the look you're going for, but they too probably won't care too much, especially if you're all being paid around the same amount, they'll understand why you're not able to show up in something completely new and exciting each week; it's just not realistic. Using the mono-coloured skirts, pants and cardigans, and the patterned blouses we've selected, you can make a number of different outfits and I promise, no one will notice or care that you're wearing the same pieces over and over. You'll see, you'll start your new job next week and soon enough all of the stress and worry you're feeling now will subside. You have clothes now, and I hope I've taught you enough to know what to look for when you do start to make a little money and can afford to buy a few new pieces. Work is work though, you don't have to dress as if you're trying to grab people's attention, you just have to look tidy and professional, and with a few key pieces and a little bit of knowledge, you can do just that".

Handing Sandy the neatly folded pile of donated clothing and the notes she had written to accompany the pieces, Sue Ellen felt the beginnings of a familiar rush of emotion. "Thank you Sue Ellen. I was so unsure when I arrived this morning, but you've really helped me. I don't know why you're working here and not at a department store as a personal shopper or something like that, because you're really talented and if I had the money, I would pay for your help, but whatever your reason for doing this voluntarily, thank you". From the young woman's words and the way she was looking at her, it was obvious that the assistance she had given her had had the desired effect, and really, that was all she wanted. Her individual charity work wasn't like being a member of the DOA, she did it because she wanted to and she expected no brownie points or monetary reward in return; the thankful comments, clear happiness and obvious gratefulness for her time and attention she received from the individual women she was helping was enough for her. She didn't need JR, Miss Ellie, Doctor Williams, her mother, the DOA ladies or anyone else to pat her on the back and tell her she was a nice person for helping those less fortunate than herself; the way doing something kind and useful made her feel was a reward in itself.

"You're welcome, and thank you. I do this voluntarily because I want to; it pleases me greatly when I receive feedback like that though". She didn't feel like elaborating on why working in a department store had never been a real option for her, so she brushed past it and luckily Sandy didn't seem to notice. Chatting for a little longer and then concluding their conversation, Sue Ellen smiled to herself as she headed back to the stock room. Feeling needed and appreciated was a wonderful feeling and she was glad she had taken steps toward involving herself in things that boosted her self-esteem and happiness rather than sticking with things that were safe, but gave her little to truly enjoy or challenge herself. Despite being in a position that provided her many opportunities and avenues to socialise, her early marriage had been very lonely and despite Miss Ellie's best intentions, becoming more involved in DOA work hadn't truly provided her with the happiness and satisfaction she craved. She was lucky now, she had found happiness in her family, her activities, both individual and group, and the new friendships she was forming, so she no longer relied heavily on one particular person or thing to notice and compliment her efforts in order for her to feel needed and wanted. Change was good and she was very glad to no longer feel insecure about who she was, how she felt and how other people perceived her; she was Sue Ellen Ewing, wife, mother, daughter-in-law, sister, aunt, friend, volunteer, and many other things, but most of all, she was herself, independent of titles or adjectives; she felt secure, happy and free.

An hour later, after unpacking and sorting some newly delivered donated clothing, saying goodbye to her co-workers and leaving the building, Sue Ellen sighed happily to herself as she pulled into a grocery store parking lot. She, JR and John Ross were set to leave Dallas to head up to the lake house later in the afternoon and since she was already in town, it seemed only logical that she purchase the food and other supplies herself now. Entering the store and walking up and down the aisles, she couldn't help but laugh at how much she was enjoying herself. With Teresa and Francisca around to do the majority of the domestic tasks required to run a home, including running errands to purchase food and household items, it had been years since she had done any serious form of grocery shopping, so to do so now seemed like a novelty, even though the task itself was fairly basic and uninteresting. She didn't care too much that it was a silly thing for her to enjoy though, that was the beauty of Doctor Williams' teachings, she knew now that was allowed to feel however she wanted without also feeling bad or guilty about her feelings. Accepting that although she loved being her own person, she also loved being a wife and mother, she then happily continued her route around the store, selecting the things she wanted and the things she knew JR and John Ross would enjoy. They were going to spend the weekend away from Dallas and the stress of real life, and they were going to enjoy it.

To be continued…