Ballet with Mom

When I was a kid, probably about 12 or so, my mom decided to get season tickets to the ballet. I'm sure she thought with three girls on her hands, she'd have no problem getting one to go with her every couple months.

Well, when the first show came around, there wasn't as much interest as she thought there'd be. "Who wants to go to the ballet with me this Saturday?" Mom asked. After a few moments filled only with crickets, I decided, what the heck? "I'll go!"

Late Saturday morning Mom and I got dressed up in our nice clothes and headed up to downtown Salt Lake to see our first ballet at the Capitol Theatre. You can't go see a show on an empty stomach so we decided to hit up a little deli tucked away in the alley next to the theatre. Sitting at a tall round table on a black and white checkered floor, Mom and I ate our cream soup and sandwiches and talked about the upcoming show. I felt so important and grown up. Just me and Mom out on the town.

Once inside the theatre we found our seats. I remember sitting there listening to the orchestra warm up while looking at all the little old ladies with their grey hair perfectly curled and hair sprayed  into q-tip-like poofs. I flipped through the program reading the story line and all the names of the dancers and producers. Then the lights went down and the curtains opened.

For an hour or two Mom and I sat and watched while the dancers twirled and leaped on the stage. I admired their costumes-- their flexibility, grace, and strength. My sisters had no idea what they were missing out on.

Lucky for me my sisters never showed an interest in going to the ballet. Of course I never told them how fun it really was. The ballet turned out to be a thing just my mom and I did together. Every couple months we'd head back to that same tucked away deli with the black and white checked floor to eat lunch before the show. The shows ranged from humorous to sad to just plain awe inspiring and I loved each one of them. And who could forget all the little old ladies with their q-tip hair?

I haven't been back to see a ballet since I was a kid. And the little deli is no longer there. But I still remember those great times with just Mom and me. She always made me feel special and I remember that the most.