100 Days of Gladness, Day 12
(Names have been changed here to honor the privacy of the people involved. But this story is true. I know because I was there. This is one of my favorite memories from 2023.)
One evening, during a recent holiday, we were just about to watch Dirty Rotten Scoundrels together, everyone was assembled in our friends’ rec room.
Suddenly, the lights went down for a surprise performance.
Reese, (short for Nareese, the nine-year-old daughter of our hosts), came into the room as the lights went up. She had dressed up classy. Black skirt, white blouse. Simple. Gorgeous.
For about five minutes, she tried to start the song. She’d clear her throat, then silence. Then she’d laugh. Sammy (her same age cousin) tried to encourage her, but that turned into him taking over and hamming it up, which didn’t work.
There were nine adults in the room, and a smattering of teenaged siblings and cousins.
Reese gave up trying to sing. She walked off the ‘stage,’ saying, “Maybe tomorrow.” A flurry of whispered protests followed her — from her supportive sibs, and from us, trying to change her mind.
