Fashion Show by Voculus
“This is it, Joan! The big night! Are you ready for your makeup and wardrobe?”
“Yeah. Yeah, I think so. I’m nervous!”
“Oh, don’t be. You are going to do fantastic tonight!”
“I hope so! Is Kate here?”
“Yes, but she’s already taken her seat outside.”
“Okay. How is she doing? I know she was feeling bad about not being able to see me tonight.”
“She seemed fine to me. She’s really at home without her sight, I think.”
“Hehe! Yeah, that sounds like Kate! Okay, I’m ready, Daphne.” :)
Joan stepped onto the runway, from behind the partition, and turned right, as she had practiced many times with Daphne. Her steps were slow and deliberate, in order to help keep her walking in a straight line. Her cane provided her with all the information she needed to navigate the course. As per Daphne’s plan, her first walk saw her with many rolls of bandaged wound around her head and face. Only her nose and lips were visible. She was made to be anonymous. No one could know who she was. Not yet.
Joan knew that somewhere off to her right, Daphne was watching. Kate was with her too, but the poor thing couldn’t see, for the bandages over her own eyes, due to recent eye surgery.
For her second walk, Joan was freed from the gauze cocoon around her head. She now wore thick gauze pads taped over her eyes. Slowly, more was being revealed to the audience. The eyes are the window to the soul, they say. No doubt, they were now very curious to see this blind woman fully revealed.
The audience was quite impressed with the seeming ease, this model had taken the runway. She was blinded by her bandages, and yet managed to walk as if she had done this all her life.
The members of the audience let loose a collective gasp. Did this woman truly have no eyes? Was is just makeup of some kind? No… she truly was eyeless. This was no trick. This woman put herself on display for all of them to see, yet she could not see any of them. Again, with the use of her cane, she deftly navigated the runway, impressing all that gazed upon her. She was magnificent!
The audience erupted in applause. For so long, Joan had been so self-conscious, and so aware of her aberrant appearance. Sure, she had come to grips with letting random strangers on the sidewalk or the store see her, but to put herself on display like this was a huge step for her. A massive boost for her self-confidence. She had to try very hard indeed, not to grin, and to press on with her model’s countenance. She turned in the direction of where Daphne and Kate were sitting, and blew a kiss. :)
Daphne: Joan, you were amazing! Simply amazing! You should have seen the looks on everyone’s faces. Their jaws were practically on the floor!"
Joan: “Not from fright, I hope!”
Daphne: “Perish the thought! They were stunned! At your unique beauty, your confidence with your cane, everything! I’m sorry to gush, but you killed it! I’m so proud of you!”
Joan: “Thank you, Daphne.”
Kate: “Joan, I’m really happy for you! I’m so sorry I couldn’t see anything, but I was listening to the crowd, and Daphne’s right. I think you impressed every one of them!”
Joan: “Yeah… I know! Hahahaha!” :)
Daphne: “Kate, when do your bandages come off?”
Kate: “Tomorrow, finally!”
Daphne: “Wonderful! I’d love to show you all the photos I took of Joan tonight. And there’s also going to be a bunch online, so you can look there, too.”
Kate: “Thanks Daphne. I’m really looking forward to it. Joan, there’s something I want to say. And Daphne, I guess you can hear this, too.”
Joan: “What is it Kate?”
Kate: “I think I finally understand. What it’s like for you, I mean. When you had your sight taken from you, you didn’t just have to adapt to moving around, and doing chores, and living life without vision. There’s a connection to things you can see. Things that stir the soul in a way that only your sight can give you. Tonight, I was just aching to see you on the runway. To see my best friend stride with that confidence and grace that I know you have. And I couldn’t see any of it. I wanted to so badly, and I couldn’t. It wasn’t because I thought it would be fun to be blind, but because of things out of my control. It was so frustrating, and it was almost more than I could bear. Joan, if you ever thought I made light of your disability, please know that I never meant to do that.”
Joan: “Oh, Kate! I know you would never do that. You have nothing to apologize for! I couldn’t see you in the crowd, or Daphne, but I knew in my heart you were there. To me, that was every bit as comforting and strengthening as seeing you with my eyes. I don’t deserve such a sweet and caring friend.” :)