Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This.

voltee ♦ September 29, 2011 ♦ 2 Comments

Item: Dress Color/Fabric: Purple/lovely flowers, polyester Designer: Lux Where Purchased: Urban Outfitters Years Owned: 10?

Ah, well, I have been attempting to write this all week. It’s been one of those rough ones! On Tuesday, I had a rather brutal run-in with a dentist, and my head and face have been aching since. If you aren’t familiar with my dental dramas, there is a brief history here: voltee.wordpress.com/2010/09/16/176/ It’s so depressing. I am seriously thinking about having them all pulled and getting dentures.
Happier subject now! For the last few weeks I have been mulling over why I will absolutely never forget some outfits I have worn and the occasions in which I have worn them. And sometimes I have clothing that I know I have worn, and more than once, but I could not tell you specifically when if my life depended on it. I have never really been able to figure out why.
This weekend, I think that I did. It’s those days when I can’t get dressed. Those days when I’ve been “addressing myself for hours.”
When I have to think about it, and obsess over it, and experiment on it like I am trying to discover a new element, then I will never forget what I wore.
Usually this obsessing happens when I am trying to find sleep. Those moments when i am drifting between consciousness and dreaminess are the most ripe with creativity. Usually I am only able to think about four things: Regrets from the day before, possible ensembles, potential plots for stories I will never write, and breakfast.
This past Saturday at about midnight, I decided to go down to New York City by myself, go to the Broadway Fleamarket, and then meet Nate for a lovely dinner later. Excitement! But too much. I could not sleep. I could not decide what to wear.
I mentally raided my closet for hours. Barely before the sun rose, this little dress drifted into a dream. This has hung in my closet year after year after year and I know I have worn it before, but many eons ago. I’ve always loved its vintage vibe, and also the fact that I bought it for $1 at Urban Outfitters. I just never really thought of it. But this, this was its time!
And yes, it was. I arrived at Times Square in the dress, and my favorite chunky boots, and got swallowed up by chaos and magic and madness. It was a wonderful day.
I made a small donation to Broadway Cares, to fight Aides, and got to have my picture taken with Michael Emerson, my favorite bad guy on Lost, a show I loved intensely for years. Ok, perhaps love isn’t a strong enough word. I fanatically obsessed over the show for every season it was on. And I think Michael Emerson is a fantastic actor. Here we are!

When I heard his voice talking to the person in front of me, my stomach was swallowed up by butterflies! Ben! Ben Linus! In real life!
Be calm, I told myself. Smile, and act like a normal person. Do not tell him how nice he is in real life.
Before I knew it, he was shaking my hand.
“Hi!” He said. “I’m Micheal Emerson! Thank you for coming!”
“Hi!” I said. “I’m Kerry! You are so nice!!”
Crap…
Well, I had another chance to redeem myself at the autograph table. I brought this picture I love of me walking into Times Square, with confetti falling everywhere. And I had a whole table of Broadway and TV stars sign it!
Autographs don’t really mean much to me, but it was a great cause and I thought the picture would look great signed. I couldn’t talk to any of them, except when they asked me about the picture. And everyone loved it! I think the only person who didn’t comment about it was Anthony Rapp. He was not very friendly…
Laura Osnes, who I watched on Grease: You’re the One That I Want!, was a sweetie pie, and she told me she loved my dress. And I had a great conversation with Carrie Preston, who plays Arlene on True Blood. I told her about the plight of our theater, and she seemed honestly devastated.
Later, I walked around the flea market, and every few steps a random person stopped me to compliment my frock. I was feeling confident and exuberant, until I found a few books. Giant books. Books that weighed about 50 pounds. I had to buy a bag to haul them around.
After a few hours, I was miserable. All that extra weight was murder on my feet and knees and shoulders, and I started to completely loathe my boots. A few times I thought I wasn’t going to make it.
But then, I was reunited with my honey, and three courses plus a bottle of wine took away all my troubles.
And he carried my books for the rest of the night.
It was one of those days for the ages.