Hopes and Dreams

“Are you Claire Devereux?” Olivia didn’t receive an answer.

She didn’t think the lady was asleep because her eyes were open. Tapping her shoulder, “Excuse me ma’am.” When the lady finally looked at her she asked again, “Are you Claire Devereaux?”

“I am Claire Devereaux”. Her voice was very low.

“My name is Olivia and I was told I could talk to you about ballet. I understand you were the principal for the ballet company.” When Claire heard the word ballet she sat up straighter and nodded as the young girl went on.

“Could you tell me about it? Can you tell me about that?” She asked, pointing towards the wheelchair. “Is that from an injury or a fall?”

“I will tell you what I can remember,” Claire told the girl as she sat on the floor beside her, listening.

“It started on a night when I couldn’t do anything right, I was messing up and the director was really upset.” She began her story.

“Dammit Claire! Your attitude is all wrong, your jete is still weak and it looks as if you’ve gained weight.” Vincent scoffed. The remainder of the dance troop just looked at me in a smug way as I was being admonished.

“I can do it!” I pleaded. “Please! Let me keep trying. I will get it, I will practice all night.” I begged.

“Tomorrow, if you don’t have it, Jenna will be the principal.” Vincent told me as he walked away.

“I took his warning to heart, I couldn’t lose the weight overnight, but I could practice. I practiced for hours after everyone left. Frustrated, I tossed my slippers into the garbage and left. I was so distraught, no amount of time I spent on ballet, I could never be a star”

“Did you get to keep the lead?” Olivia asked.

Claire didn’t answer, but continued, “I left the studio and remember it was raining so I hunkered down in my poncho to keep dry. The rain continued so I ducked into a curio shop. I walked by it everyday, but had never stopped until now. The sign read “Curious Curio Shoppe” and was filled with odd trinkets of every size, shape and color. There were weird objects, herbs and potions and there were signs for gizmos, thingamajigs and doohickies. It was rather fascinating and scary all at the same time”

“Are you looking for anything special?” An older woman asked. I jumped because I didn’t see her as I entered. “Uh, no, actually I was just taking a reprieve from the rain.”

“Let me know.” The lady said.

“Yes, sure.” I told her and continued to browse.

“On the last shelf is where I saw them. The pink ballet slippers. Smooth and perfect. I had to have them. There was no price tag. I carried them around with me while I looked at everything else. Finally, I asked the lady. “How much are these slippers?”

“For you? Your hopes and dreams.” she told me in a raspy voice.

“No. Really? Seriously, how much are these slippers?” I asked her again.

“You don’t have hopes and dreams?” she asked me.

"Of course, I want to be the best ballerina, but that’s not the price.” I told her.

“Ok, you can have the shoes for your hopes and dreams and a dance.” she told me.

“A dance?” That is all you want as payment?

“Yah, yah and hopes and dreams” She said as she took a magic wand and waved it over the slippers. “I moved to a spot on the floor and put the slippers on. It was like magic, the ribbon all but wove its way up my legs and tied itself. I performed right there. As I finished she was there, clapping her hands; she was so impressed with my dancing.”

“Very good!” She told me, “I can see your hopes and dreams.”

“Me too!” I told her as I grabbed the shoes.

“So you had those slippers on when you performed?” Olivia asked

“Oh yes and the next night I stole the show, my performance was flawless. I was invited to appear in many other company productions. I was so happy. It was the best night of my life, until.”

“Until what?” Olivia asked her impatiently.

“Until I got home, Those beautiful ribbons that magically wove up my legs were now embedded in my shins. I could not get a hold of them to untie them. The more I thought about it, they burned and seared further and deeper into my legs. So bad, I couldn’t even walk the next day.”

“What are you saying?” Olivia asked her.

“I’m saying, that’s why I’m in this wheelchair.”

“Because of your slippers?” She asked.

“Yes! Because of the slippers. I couldn’t move and my legs were so sore. I called the Gypsy andI told her about the ribbons. She said there was only one way to stop them from biting into my legs. If I was certain she would send Marlak to free me from my pain. She asked if I had a good dance? I told her it was the best and then she said "now your hopes and dreams?” I agreed because that performance had been all my hopes and dreams.

As I lay there with my burning legs, a beast of a man arrived. He assured me that I would feel no pain as he tended to my legs. He rubbed salve and ointment and very slowly the ribbon unwound itself from around my legs. Once the ribbon released enough, he grabbed the ribbon and took a giant, silver sickle and lopped my legs off, right below my knees. It happened so fast, there are times when I still can’t even believe it until I look down”.

With that Claire pushed the wheelchair away and yelled over her shoulder, “Be careful what you wish for Olivia, it will cost you “just one dance and all your hopes and dreams.”

Olivia looked fretful as she lifted her pant legs. Clair shook her head and cursed obsession.



Photo by Alejandro Dini