"I have bad news, Mommy!" Audrey confided over the phone. "They've decided to stage the ao dai photo shoot/pre-judging tomorrow instead of Friday, and I don't have my ao dai with me."
I couldn't believe it! We were set to bring her ao dai to Vegas with us on Wednesday. "Could you explain the circumstances and ask for an exception?" I ventured. "No, Ma, the pageant organizers are very strict. Several of the girls happened to be in the same boat as me, and pleaded that we'd relied on the pageant syllabus that we received before coming here, but they told us that was only a tentative schedule!"
"What are you going to do? Will they disqualify you?"
"No, but I would have to wear someone else's dress. Another girl has offered to lend me hers, but we have totally different body types and I looked terrible in her ao dai!"
It was amazingly generous for whoever it was to let Audrey borrow her pageant attire, because that meant two girls would appear and be judged in the same event wearing identical outfits... unless she just happened to have a backup dress! Still, I was incredulous that this was indeed happening.
I caught a quick look at the clock. It was getting close to 12:30 AM. "OK, Audrey. Let me figure something out and call you back. When are you supposed to be ready for the photo shoot/pre-judging?"
"1 PM. Which means I would need my dress by noon tomorrow."
...
It was 1:45 AM and I had spent a good chunk of time surfing the net for a courier service that would accomplish a pick-up in the middle of the night and deliver the package to its destination before noon the next day. Both Federal Express and UPS required me to have already had established accounts with them for this type of service. I'd also spoken to other smaller private courier companies in addition to posting my shipping request on an online courier board to gather call back quotes. The lowest quote I got was around $290, but that was only for next day delivery... there was no guarantee as to time of receipt. To ensure that Audrey get her dress by noon on Tuesday would cost me almost $700. I later received several phone calls from different carriers in response to my post on the courier board offering to ferry Audrey's ao dai to L.V. for $1,000 or more. It seemed ridiculously extravagant, even to a reformed spendthrift like me.
I knew I couldn't drive myself to Vegas and hope to make it there and back safely, so I decided to find an alternate means, whether it was Amtrak, bus or plane. I had hoped that JetBlue would still have the same promotional fares that Audrey took advantage of. Unfortunately, even if I were willing to pay a higher fare for a last-minute trip, there were no available seats on an early morning flight that would take me to L.V. before noon. My search for taxi, bus, or train service also proved to be either entirely unaffordable or futile.
I called Audrey's cell to briefly update her on my recent efforts. "It's OK, Mommy. I don't want you to spend that much. Just go to sleep!" she reassured me, sounding like her laidback self again.
I'd barely laid myself down before the phone started ringing. Andrea, who was a regular night owl because of her demanding school work, picked up. "Mom! It's Audrey. She said to get her ao dai ready and also her evening gown(s) just in case. Daddy will stop by in 15 minutes to take her stuff to Vegas!"
I called Audrey's cell to briefly update her on my recent efforts. "It's OK, Mommy. I don't want you to spend that much. Just go to sleep!" she reassured me, sounding like her laidback self again.
I'd barely laid myself down before the phone started ringing. Andrea, who was a regular night owl because of her demanding school work, picked up. "Mom! It's Audrey. She said to get her ao dai ready and also her evening gown(s) just in case. Daddy will stop by in 15 minutes to take her stuff to Vegas!"
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Mission accomplished! Audrey received her ao dai in her hotel room at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino at 7:00 AM.
Two weeks later, my sister Midol, who'd learned of the whole pageant snafu belatedly, expressed her amazement that my ex had made the overnight trip to bring Audrey her dress when he knew he would be driving to Vegas again in just a few days to watch his daughter compete. "He wasn't even a pageant fan! I don't think Mom and Dad would contemplate doing that for us." I couldn't help pointing out that I'd meant to do the same, but was thwarted because of my incompetence when it came to the freeways.
It's true that our parents were practical folks not given to encouraging our less than scholarly pursuits when we were growing up, but you'd never know! They've done a lot for us in many other meaningful ways. I think each generation is just different in the ways they accommodate their children's hobbies and indulgences.
Two weeks later, my sister Midol, who'd learned of the whole pageant snafu belatedly, expressed her amazement that my ex had made the overnight trip to bring Audrey her dress when he knew he would be driving to Vegas again in just a few days to watch his daughter compete. "He wasn't even a pageant fan! I don't think Mom and Dad would contemplate doing that for us." I couldn't help pointing out that I'd meant to do the same, but was thwarted because of my incompetence when it came to the freeways.
It's true that our parents were practical folks not given to encouraging our less than scholarly pursuits when we were growing up, but you'd never know! They've done a lot for us in many other meaningful ways. I think each generation is just different in the ways they accommodate their children's hobbies and indulgences.
Audrey, the contestant without a dress until Daddy saved the day!
Photo Credits: Duc Pham
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