Ah Friday, this day always feels like a deep breath before the weekend. I know I have a lot to get done today, but it still feels as though it isn’t as crazy as the rest of the week, almost as though it is a transitional day. Don’t get me wrong it will get crazy the closer to the end of the day it gets, but for right now, it feels like a calm coast into the weekend. But I could be fooling myself. It wouldn’t be the first time. So let’s get started and see what the day shall bring.
I kind of like this one. I think my brain started off on a Cinderella sort of tale and then my brain decided to play with it a little. I think writing this one out I may use some Cinderella elements, but not tell a straight up tale with it. That could be a fun project to try.
Friday, December 10th: The dress fit perfectly.
The dress fit perfectly. It felt as though it was made just for her. That was of course ridiculous. No one would make a dress with her in mind. After all it was only by chance that she even needed a dress. Her typical work wear of jeans and some sort of shirt varied only in the type of shirt she was wearing. Short sleeved t-shirt for summer, long sleeved t-shirt for winter. For extra variation on occasion the long sleeve t-shirt had a ratty old cardigan thrown over it for really cold weather.
Her wardrobe was not an inspiring sight. She wore was clean, put what was not clean in the laundry hamper. When she no longer had enough clean to wear she declared it wash day and once the clothes were clean and dry began the process all over again. Occasionally items would be worn enough to leave her collection and new items were occasionally added, but the changes weren’t really anything to remark upon and even she forgot which items were new and failed to remember which items left her to join their next stage of life as cleaning rags.
It wasn’t that she didn’t like clothes, or stare dreamily at the dresses featured in magazines, television and movies. It wasn’t as if she couldn’t have afforded them if she had truly wanted to buy them. She could afford to stock her entire wardrobe with high end items to be sure, but as most of her pay went directly into savings with her required bills being rather small, she could have afforded the splurge.
The problem was that she didn’t see much of a point to it. Her job was not conducive to wearing any of the fancier items she occasionally admired. She knew that anything she wore would be instantly destroyed. She wore such forgettable clothing because it was forgettable and she wouldn’t worry about the inevitable damage it would take during her day.
As for time off, anytime she though such time would come her way, something happened. Just last week three of the new apprentices decided that this wasn’t the life for them and scarpered off to find greener pastures. A month before a rush job came in and it was all hands on deck until the client was satisfied. On those days she woke before first light and spent her waking hours in constant motion until she collapsed into bed.
And last year when she actually attempted to take a vacation, all her plans had to be cancelled as not one but two large pieces of machinery decided to break down simultaneously. Any plans anyone had were cancelled as they all worked on locating parts and making repairs before the busy season once again arrived. It seemed as though any time she planned for a break something happened. She couldn’t even remember the last day she managed to take off. Purchasing clothing for a day off seemed like an invitation for disaster.
“Where did this come from,” she asked. While she worked hard, she took care each night to use a reparative lotion on her hands, smoothing the roughness from her skin. She had calluses, but her skin wasn’t rough enough to snag on the soft material.
“Who cares,” Joanna replied looking her over. “You now have something to wear so you won’t have to try and wrangle some time off to shop. As long as you can keep it clean until Thursday night, you should be fine. Look, there are even shoes in the cabinet to go with it.”
Ten til Midnight 