Opening the doors I was taken by the elegance of the room. The floor had a mahogany tone, and a gloss finish that mirrored the bottom reflection of each person on the floor. The walls were laced with oak wood, a few mirrors, and ivory wallpaper decorated by a gold trim. Two hundred guests filled the room and all came dressed to impress. Fancy gowns and suits added to the importance of the occasion. Ladies were decorated in gowns of various color, but all extended fully to the floor. Only a few gowns included sleeves, and a few others offered covering for the shoulders. Most of the women’s dresses were without straps, and their necks elongated by hairdo’s tucked up and tight on their heads. The men were dressed similar, but they too found ways to set themselves apart.

All men wore traditional tuxes that were black or dark grey in color. The shirts were white with some offering a silky sheen to them. Most wore a traditional bow tie, but a few flattered their attire with vests and a traditional tie tucked beneath.  The jackets either stopped at the hip, or rested short at the waist with a tail split and long down the backs of their legs. The pants were solid in color, but a few were fancied with a 2 inch strip down the outer leg of a shinier fabric of the same color. All men wore their hair styled and locked in place, and they complimented their dates nicely.

Some guests danced while other guests visited peacefully at the tables that lined the left and right sides of the room. The amber lighting brought the ambiance of the room to life, and it was breathtaking. After soaking in the atmosphere I turned to leave. I didn’t belong here. My departure was interrupted by an arm lining my lower back and a hand clutching my right hip. Just as my lips moved to speak he swung in-front of me, and put a white-gloved finger over my lips to keep me silenced. His bright blue eyes sparkled as he smiled at me slightly. His dark hair and olive skin were seducing me without effort. Who was he? What did he want? As the questions swirled in my mind he lowered his finger and gently reached for my hand. Without permission he lead me to the dance floor, and suddenly I was swallowed in the slow waltz moving the crowd. The danced seemed to last forever, but as the tune changed, he departed my presence and disappeared within the crowd.

I smiled gently as the experience made me feel more feminine than I had ever felt before. Suddenly I understood the princess feeling, but felt my midnight ending came much too fast. As I exited the floor I went back to the doors to once again leave the room – only to feel disappointed when there was no arm to take me back in.