The Gala

19:00

Elaine quickly went over the checklist she put together six weeks ago. Event ticket, LBD, killer Shoes, everything she needed for the Gala. Closing her eyes and one by one checking off each item on her mental checklist. She was wearing the Little Black Dress she found yesterday at Calvins Boutique. When Coco Chanel designed the first LBD in 1926, he said it was the go-to outfit that screams elegance and versatility. Even though she knew she couldn't afford it; she had to have it, and she looked great in it.Tonight she would simply conceal the price tag and return it the following day. The shoes she bought at trendsetters just outside the mall. She normally wears flats, but this LBD called for heels and what is better than a pair of Christian Louboutin. She had amazing legs, and these heels would accentuate them appropriately, she always wanted a pair and these she would keep, plus they were on sale for $385. About an hour ago her friend Roxy had applied her makeup, a bolder more smoky look than her usual, but Roxy was skilled with the brush and knew what she was doing.She stood staring at herself in the glass, ran her hands down the dress, and took a deep breath, telling herself that this was her opportunity to show him who he had left behind. They discussed attending this gala together last year, but six weeks ago he texted her, telling her that he needed someone more suited to his status in life and that she wasn't elegant enough. Tonight, she will show him. She gathered her small purse and shawl, put her keys and phone inside, and concluded she was ready. But maybe just maybe one more long look in the mirror.  

19:15

Something wasn't quite right, she looked up and down in the mirror, turning around a few times.Something was missing, it just wasn’t complete, it wasn’t that knock down dead gorgeous look she was going for.She turned around a few times and then she gasped, slapping her hand to her chest, she needed a necklace. She hurried to the closet and began sorting through her jewelry, flinging them left and right, one after the other. They were all simply wrong; too ostentatious or too simple. She ran to the door and dashed to Roxy's apartment. "Roxy, I need help," "What's wrong?" Roxy said. "I need jewelry, and nothing I have looks good," she said, pausing. "Do you have something that shines and says WOW?". Roxy opened her door and together they went through her jewelry box.

19:35

Returning to her apartment with necklace and matching earrings she smiled. All was right with the world, she was ready, she looked great, she was going to smash it tonight. She stood again and looked in the mirror. This was great. She smiled, then everything went black. Stumbling backwards, she grabbed the bedpost to balance herself. What the Hell, what happened to the power? Walking over to the window she pulled open the shade to let in some light. Looking out the window, she noticed all the traffic signals were out, the whole neighborhood was out of power.Horns were blaring, people yelling, brakes squealing. Not now, she doesn’t need this now. She had plans for tonight, she had places to be. It was seven thirty, her ride would pick her up at eight, she’d be at the gala by eight forty, the Gala started at nine. She grabbed her stuff and headed out the door. Standing in front of the elevator for a few minutes when it dawned on her, no power no electricity, no elevator. She walked to the end of the hall and started down the stairs.

19:40

Damn, she should have worn flats, these heels were killing her feet. Seven flights, not that bad, she had time. The tiny windows at the top of each staircase were the sole sources of light in the pitch-black stairwell. Hanging on to the banister for support, she walked slowly, one step at a time. She heard a commotion from above, then she heard running, people upstairs were racing down the stairs towards her. She held on for dear life as a small crowd of people push passed her knocking her on her ass. After sitting in shock for a short while, she got up, removed her shoes, inhaled deeply, and proceeded one step at a time down the stairs to the main lobby.

20:05

She walked into the main lobby which by then was total chaos. The mass of people in the lobby was too much to handle. Trying to avoid getting in the way of the gathering hoard, she stood against a back wall, thinking of what she should do next. She put her heels back on, damn, her Wolford Satin Touch nylons she spent $45.00 on had a hole in the toe, and a small run beginning up the side, nothing she could do about that now. She opened her purse, and pulled out her phone, no bars, no service. Damn, what about her Ride appointment. Hoping she didn’t miss it because of the walk down the stairs, she walked out to the curb and looked for an Uber. Everyone was racing about talking over each other, yelling, screaming, crying. What the Hell, it’s just a power outage.“Does anyone have signal” she yelled out “No”, “Hell no”, “What do you think Bitch” she shook her head and looked up and down the road again, no taxis, no Ubers, nothing. She couldn’t call anyone, no service, no cars were moving, everything was back up. The only way she could get there is to walk, it’s only six blocks, she can do that.

20:14

Taking a deep breath, slipping off her heels again, she began to walk toward the arena.She’d been there many times, knew how to get there, but in the dark she wasn’t quite sure. She started heading down Maple Avenue towards 23rd Street. She walked past accident after accident, she was sure her Uber was most likely in one of these accidents, it seemed like every corner had another accident with everyone shouting blame at everyone else. She turned left on 23rd just as it started to sprinkle. “No, no no” she said looking up to the dark overcast sky. “Why, can’t you just give me this night, just this n

ight please.” The skies opened up a little more and the rain started to come down. She continued walking towards the arena, she was barefoot, wet and sore, her feet were killing her. Her nylons were worn all the way through her stockings, the rain was washing off her makeup, causing black streaks to flow down her face and her updo she spent hours on was hanging at a weird unkept angle. 

20:48

She turned left on what she believed was Turner Avenue, but it turned out to be a dark dead-end alley.She turned around and walked across the street, but that was also a dead-end alley filled with stinking trash cans. She turned around a few times trying to get her barring, she came from the direction where the bus was in the middle of the road, so she needed to go in the opposite direction. Where the hell was she and where did she need to go. She continued walking in the direction opposite the bus, and prayed she was going the right way.

20:55

She turned another corner and there was the arena. She stood straight up. Patted down her dress. Tried to tighten up her hair. She’d made it. She reached down and put on her heels, adjusted her shawl and slowly limped towards the crowd lining up to go inside. She watched as each group walked up the stairs, tried to open the doors, then turned around and came back down. She heard people saying “Cancelled”, “Reschedule”, “Power Outage”, but that can’t be. After everything she did to get here tonight she was going to this Gala, no power outage, no pouring down rain, no ruined outfit was going to stop her.She was here; she’d made it to the Gala, she may not look drop dead gorgeous as she did an hour ago, but she was here. She limped one step at a time up to the main door, and there in big black letters

Sorry, Due to the Power Outage, our Gala has been canceled,

 it will be rescheduled, we are sorry for any incovinence.

Inconvenience, sorry for any inconvenience, are they serious. Eliane sat down at the top of the stairs taking off her shoes, shaking out her hair, throwing the Bobbie pins onto the ground. How did she get to this point? This was stupid, all this just to show him up. Why.She was better than this. She picked up her very expensive ruined shoes, straightened her must have LBD, brushed back her hair and limped all the way home. Tomorrow will be a better day.