Ida Claire's Fairytale Date

Ida Claire smiled, and breathed in the wonderful evening scents of her favorite local diner. She hung her coat on the hall tree, and found her favorite seat at the counter.

Big Bess, as she called herself, bellowed out in her smooth mezzo voice, “Who do we find here again but our own Ida Claire! It’s Friday night, so I’m guessin’ your blonde freckled friend Sammy will be joining you. You know what that means, two cheeseburgers with extra fries, boys!”

This place was like her second home. She had practically grown up in the very seat she was sitting, aways watching Bess making coffee and scolding Old Joe for over cooking the eggs.

Yes, she had learned a lot in this familiar place. Big Bess was really like a mother to her. Ida’s father had died in the war leaving her mother alone with a her young son and daughter. Her mother had to work very hard to support her family, and she had taught her children to be strong. “Strong and respectable, clean and intellectual, always makes the best human spectacle,” her mother used to say to them everyday for as long as Ida could remember.

Will, Ida’s father, had loved music. “Ida, your father used to tell me that jazz ran through his veins!” her mother often told her. Music was Ida’s connection to her father, and it was a strong connection. Her father had given her a love of artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Martha Tilton.

Ida’s full name was Odetta Ida Claire Morton, but folks who knew her always called her “Ida Claire!” with a tone of exclamation. Ida loved her name but secretly wished people would call her “Etta” after her favorite singer Etta…or at least Ella, after her other favorite singer.

Just then, Sammy skipped up and slide into a stool next to Ida.

“Good morning Ida! You won’t believe what good news I have for you! It’s time you’ve had some fun for a change! You’ve been helping your mama get over that cold, serving at the diner, and on and on!”

“Oh Sammy! I would love a little adventure! What do you have in mind? A canoe trip? Or we could drive out to your grandmother’s farm to see the new lambs!” came Ida excited reply.

“Silly goose! No! I’ve set you up on a blind date!”

“A BLIND DATE?” Why Sammy you know that I’m not intereste—

“Oh hush! It’s gonna be fun, and the gent already agreed to it! It’s one of Robin’s old friends. He’s from Boston, you know! I just know how you love Boston!

Just think, he could be—

“But Sammy! I’ve told you a hundred times I didn’t want you to set me up with anyone! You know how I feel about this kind of thing.”

“Oh yes, I know. You’ve told over and over with that dreamy look in your eye.” Then Samantha began in a high pitched mock tone,” Oh Sammy, I don’t want silly men. Someone who is ridiculous. I don’t fully expect a fairytale, but I want it to be, well, sweet. Pure. Like mama and papa when they meet before the war! I believe it can be beautiful.”

Ida couldn’t help but smile just a little at her sly friend. “I didn’t know I sounded so goofy.”

Then she sighed,”Well, when’s the date, anyway?”

“Tomorrow night! He’ll pick you up at 5:30! Say! They’re playing Cinderella at the theater tonight—let’s go!”

Odetta Ida Claire couldn’t help feeling a mixture of excitement and terror. Tonight was the night of her first date.

“I need to sit down and think this out over a cup of coffee,” she thought.

She really hadn’t slept well. Her dreams had been filled with a strange mixture of Cinderella in the diner, hollering out,” Prince Charming! Prince Charming! Oh where is my prince charming? There’s mustard in my slipper! And ketchup in my hair! What’s going on? Prince Charming!”

Ida shook her head as though to clear her mind of the weird dreams as she hurried to the diner.

And that is where we find her, watching raindrops streak down the window. Her steaming cup of coffee had gone cold as she sat.

She stared at the salt and pepper shakers. Bess boomed,“Honey, you have done gone and committed a great sin! Yo coffee ain’t just cold, it’s downright freezin’! Here! Hand me your cup, it’s time for a refresh.

30 minutes later, Ida was still talking the Bess over bottomless cups of piping hot coffee and cinnamon rolls.

““I really don’t expect a fairytale. I just want it to be special. Cinderella, Snow White, Aurora! They fell in love with someone who loved them! I just don’t want a shallow relationship. I want someone who will sing with me. Someone who has a bellowing laugh, and a smile that never quite fades from their countenance. It’s just that when I fall in love, I want it to be forever! Or I’ll never fall in love.” Ida’s eye were almost tearful.

“My lands! Listen here honey, I know you love to sing, and I know you’re working your pretty little heart out to become a singer, but you may need to take a break from listening to the radio day and night!” She let out her rich mezzo laugh,” and besides that sugar, people aren’t perfect. So you can stop searchin’ for that! I bet you’re expectin’ me to say that love ain’t a fairytale, but listen here, love is very much like a fairytale. Love is patience, love is kind. Love never fails. Those are words my faithful Lord gives to every person, shape, color and size. Now what isn’t fairytale about that? Hm? Tell me that love isn’t a fairytale! So see, marriage is a way we get to reflect God’s love. We isn’t perfect, that’s the truth! But that is how He teaches us more about His perfect love. I’ll stop my ramblings now, heh! Stop worrying honey, if the good Lord will it, and you seek it, it will be done. Don’t be afraid. Laws sake! Be happy! Show me that sunny smile, Miss Ida Claire!”

Ida smiled up into Bess’ face. “Now go home and take yoself a bath! Yah hair is nappy!”

The clock struck five as Ida stood peering out the front window. Thanks to her nerves, she had been ready for the past hour, even though her date wouldn’t be there to pick her up until 5:30. She cracked open the front door, and the fresh spring air squeezed in.

“Maybe it would be better to wait on the porch swing?” She went out and sat down, swinging her golden brown legs back and forth. “Geez, maybe not. Maybe I’d seem impatient sitting out here.”

Just then, Sammy ran up the sidewalk. “Ida Claire! You look lovely! I mean really! You’re like a princess! How did you get your hair to twist up like that?” Sammy gushed.

Ida smoothed her satin blue cocktail dress. They chatted for a few minutes, then Sammy left.

At 5:31 Ida heard the telephone ringing inside.

“Hello?”

“Hey Etta! Sam here! Your dashing date had some car trouble. He told me to ask if you could meet him at the restaurant?”

“Alright, tell him I will.” Ida took a deep breath, and some of the butterflies that had been ailing her fluttered away.

“Would you like to go ahead and order now, Miss?” asked the waiter

“Oh no. Thank you Jake. I’ll wait a little longer.”

“Are you sure? It’s already 7:00 o’clock.”

“I’m sure. Thank you.”

Ida stared into her glass of merlot. It was such a rich, lovely color, she thought. She played out how she thought her night would go for the 5th time that day…Her date would pull up at 5:30 sharp, punctuality was good manners. He would knock softy on the door. Not too hard, that would be rude, not too gently like a woman— just right like a gentleman.

Then Ida would open the door, smile and introduce herself. Once they got to the restaurant, he would open the door for her and take her coat.

Over their glasses of merlot, they would talk. Not about boring things like the stock market or gas prices, but of…oh what? What would you have talked about! He isn’t here! He stood you up Ida! Now get over it.

She arose abruptly from the table, knocking over the full glass of wine, which spilled onto her dress and right shoe. That was the straw that broke the little dreamy camels back. Tears came, and Ida fled home.

Wearing polka dot pajamas and wrapped in a blanket, Ida sank down onto the couch. Trying to comfort herself, she opened the new novel she had purchased, and dove in.

The clock rang out 9:00. Ida glanced up from her book, cocking her head in surprise. Was she paranoid, or did she really hear something? There is was again. Yes, she was sure now— someone was knocking on the door.

With wide eyes, she went to the door to peek through the window. There was a man standing on the porch.

She found herself cracking the door asking,”Who’s there?”

“Miss. Odetta? I am terribly sorry to interrupt you so late, but I had to come speak to you about our date. I truly did not mean to miss it. I hope you can forgive me. Could we just start over?”

Trembling a little from frustration at her blind date, Ida swung the door wide open.

She was ready to give him a good talking to. But then she saw him clearly in the yellowy porch light. He was tall and gentle, with sandy brown hair and clear blue eyes. Ida was rather astounded at his handsomeness.

But what really caught her attention was his smile. It was a little crooked, but it was kind.

“Hello, I’m Steve.”

Ida was suddenly all too aware of her polka dot pajamas and fuzzy slippers.

“I’d like to explain to you why I missed our dinner date. It’s certainly no excuse, but I wanted you to know it wasn’t on purpose.”

They sat down on the swing and Steve explained how his car had blown a tire 2 miles out of town. “Boy was I grateful to see a cab headed my way! All the way out there on Brown Street! I hailed him down, and he agreed to take me as fast as possible to nearest payphone so I could let you know what was going on. Well, after I made the call, I hurried back out to the cab, and we sped off. Then what do you know! His tire blew too!”

“My! I am sorry you went to all that trouble just trying to make our date. It’s really not a big deal.”

“Oh, but it is! Robin told me you sat at there all alone for an hour, thinking I had stood you up. Say, if you’re up for it, would you still like to go out? It won’t be anything special like I had planned, but I think Frank’s Hot Dog Stand is still open in the park.”

“I suppose that would be nice. Give me just a moment.” She slipped back inside and changed into a simple skirt and cardigan.

Off they went, arm in arm to the park on that fair spring night. Happy wind swirled around them and played with Ida’s skirt. The scent of honeysuckle mingled with the tantalizing smell of hotdogs and toasted buns.

Was Ida’s first date the perfect evening she had thought of? Fancily dress, seated at a nice restaurant, smiling over glasses of wine?

She got the fairytale she hoped for. Under the stars laughing over hotdogs with someone who’s smiled never quite faded from his face.