My chance to be famous. My debut. I stood nervously in the wings,
shaking my hands up and down like they were my anchor to my old life, and
must be pushed away.
"Oh, poor Chickie's got stage fright." Daphne snapped her gum and smiled. "I wouldn't worry 'bout it too much honey. They aren't going to notice you much the first night."
"Now Daphne!" Penelope, a new-found friend, stood over me. Penelope was by far the tallest Hot Box Girl, and the high-heeled shoes she wore made her even taller. She was also the most graceful, and, as I was told and had observed, held a little more over gum-chewing Daphne, thought Daphne was Charlie's girl. I found many people didn't like Daphne very much, and I didn't either.
"It's–it's ok. I'm just a little nervous." I smiled, gritting my teeth.
"Now, now." Penelope patted me on the shoulder. "It's ok to be nervous. It really is. I remember, I was nervous my first night too."
Daphne was giving us rude looks. She had moved away and was talking to Norma-Mae in harsh whispers.
"It's time girls!" Adelaide came into the dressing room with an air about her. "Ready girls?" She surveyed us. "You look lovely Sara-Anne."
Penelope nudged me. I tried to smile sweetly, but couldn't. I gave an uncomfortable grimace instead.
They were all changing out of their Pet Me Poppa clothes and into their Bushel and a Peck outfits. I had already changed. I hadn't had time to learn the other dances, so here I stood, for the whole review, waiting for my debut, in the finale.
"Is my lipstick on right?" Carla leaned in close to the mirror. She was short and large chested, with a very grating voice. She danced well though, and had a pretty face, so she usually had some admirers hanging around the dressing room. There were rumors though, that she had a boyfriend that was in a Latino gang. I didn't know if I believed it.
"Yes. It looks very good." I smiled at her.
"Yours looks lovely too sugar!" She leaned over and gave me a quick informal hug. "Nervous? Don't be. They'll love you."
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and got ready to dance my heart out.
"Oh, poor Chickie's got stage fright." Daphne snapped her gum and smiled. "I wouldn't worry 'bout it too much honey. They aren't going to notice you much the first night."
"Now Daphne!" Penelope, a new-found friend, stood over me. Penelope was by far the tallest Hot Box Girl, and the high-heeled shoes she wore made her even taller. She was also the most graceful, and, as I was told and had observed, held a little more over gum-chewing Daphne, thought Daphne was Charlie's girl. I found many people didn't like Daphne very much, and I didn't either.
"It's–it's ok. I'm just a little nervous." I smiled, gritting my teeth.
"Now, now." Penelope patted me on the shoulder. "It's ok to be nervous. It really is. I remember, I was nervous my first night too."
Daphne was giving us rude looks. She had moved away and was talking to Norma-Mae in harsh whispers.
"It's time girls!" Adelaide came into the dressing room with an air about her. "Ready girls?" She surveyed us. "You look lovely Sara-Anne."
Penelope nudged me. I tried to smile sweetly, but couldn't. I gave an uncomfortable grimace instead.
They were all changing out of their Pet Me Poppa clothes and into their Bushel and a Peck outfits. I had already changed. I hadn't had time to learn the other dances, so here I stood, for the whole review, waiting for my debut, in the finale.
"Is my lipstick on right?" Carla leaned in close to the mirror. She was short and large chested, with a very grating voice. She danced well though, and had a pretty face, so she usually had some admirers hanging around the dressing room. There were rumors though, that she had a boyfriend that was in a Latino gang. I didn't know if I believed it.
"Yes. It looks very good." I smiled at her.
"Yours looks lovely too sugar!" She leaned over and gave me a quick informal hug. "Nervous? Don't be. They'll love you."
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and got ready to dance my heart out.