Dress To Impress Day

Classes are winding down. Only one more day of the "last week of class" - books are flooding the return drop as papers are handed in and research is over. There are still a few scheduled tests, but the majority are over. Student numbers are thinning as the exodus for home has begun. Our students are faithful to the end to work their shifts, some because they are desperate for the money, others out of a sense of obligation. Its a bit more relaxed as the traffic through the building lightens up.

She came in for her 10 am shift, our student worker, dressed to the nines. How beautiful she looked in a floor length evening gown, satin maroon on the bottom and velvet deep maroon on the top. Her arms were swathed in elbow length white gloves with quaint round white buttons up the side. The whole ensemble was set off nicely by her long blond hair worn down and free.

"Yes," she explained. "Its 'Dress to Impress' Day. You must be overdressed for every occasion." How interesting! I had no idea there was such a day. Everyone noticed how wonderful she looked. Everyone commented on how refreshing it was to see such elegant attire at work. She explained that she had picked up the dress (which looked like it had been made just for her) at Sal's Boutique (our fond title for the Salvation Army store) for a mere $5, so she wasn't terribly worried if she got a spot on it or got it dirty. I wondered how she could stand in such high heels with such pointy toes, beautiful though they looked.

How odd to see her running up the stairs to check on a missing pair of shears or wheeling a cart of books to the elevator for reshelving. She should have been dancing or dining or at least listening to a stellar concert. Yet here she was checking in returned books and renewing materials that would be kept over the holidays. She did it all with a smile and grace befitting a queen.

Inspiring. Perhaps next year I will observe Dress to Impress Day myself. Let's see, what elegant clothing do I have that still fits????