Alyssa was startled by the acknowledgment in the school hallway. David had said hello to her, addressed her by name. The most popular boy in the school, and he had smiled and spoken to her. She was halfway past her sixteenth birthday, and had begun to accept her plainness, shyness and insecurity. Already a junior in high school, and she had never had a date. David was one of the ‘in’ crowd-- a senior, and very handsome and athletic. She played clarinet in the school band, and that was the extent of her outside activities. She stepped into the bathroom to look at herself in the mirror. No change. Still plain and with some new pimples starting on her chin, glasses that magnified her eyes, skinny with pointed shoulders.
At lunch she sat on the end of a long table with other band students. She was just finishing her sandwich when she saw David come in and look around until he spotted her. Odd. He never ate in the school cafeteria. His group all had cars and went to the Dairy Barn for lunch and after school. He walked over to where she was sitting.
“Can I speak to you outside before the bell rings?” he asked politely.
“Okay.” She gathered her lunch remnants as she rose and dropped them into the trash can by the wall. She saw her friends staring and whispering behind their hands. Her own hands were shaking.
He held the door for her and she stepped out. He led her toward the end of the building and awkwardly, with a red face, said, “There’s a get together Saturday night at the Pavilion for the hockey team—a little dance. I was wondering if you would be free to go with me?”
It took a few moments for Alyssa to respond. Was he being serious? He certainly appeared to be. “Okay,” she finally answered. “I’ll write down my address for you.”
“It’s okay; I know where you live. Small town and all. I’ll pick you up at 7:30, if that’s okay?”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
“See you later.” She watched him walk off, still disbelieving what had just happened.
Alyssa spent the next few days after school shopping for a new dress and shoes. The shop keeper where she found the dress told her several times that she had beautiful eyes, and that the color of the dress brought them out. “Can you see without your glasses?” she had asked Alyssa.
Saturday came, and Alyssa had her hair done. The hairdresser pulled it all back, but used a hot iron to leave a long curl on one side. “Man catcher,” she had called the curl. “Do you want me to help you with some makeup?”
Alyssa had never worn makeup and didn’t like the feel of it, but had to admit that she did look very different. Her mother was surprised when she saw her. “Where’s my little girl?” she had asked.
David was prompt. He seemed surprised when he saw her, she hoped pleasantly. He was gracious with her parents and promised to have her home by 11:30. They did not talk much on the short drive. He seemed ill at ease, too. It didn’t take long to find out why. When they entered the pavilion, it was all wrong.
The theme was ducks. Ducks everywhere—hanging from the ceiling, decorating the stage, posters on the wall. The posters were signed by individual hockey team members, and one had a blue “first prize” ribbon, another a red ribbon with a big “2” in the middle. And they weren't just ducks; some had big thick glasses, and some had hair drawn on that looked familiar. Some ducks were very large, some absurdly thin.
The disc jockey was already busy, but no one was dancing. The guys seemed to be congregated in one corner, laughing and occasionally glancing at the girls sitting along the sides. And the girls were not the usual cheerleaders and prom queens. Oh, no, Alyssa thought, I think I know what's going on here. Please don't let this be happening.
“David!” The senior class president was calling from the group. “You're a loser, Buddy! What's the deal?”
David excused himself from Alyssa and headed toward the group, who had all turned to stare at her. She saw David shrug his shoulders. She stood where he had left her, not joining the girls. I won't make this easy on him, she thought.
She headed for the group of males, and surprised them all by saying, “Come on, David. Let's get this dance started.”
She pulled him toward the floor, fighting for a confident look that she did not feel, and began moving to the music the way she sometimes did in her own room. At first he stood, not moving at all, and then dancing awkwardly. The Elaine dance, she thought, remembering an episode of Seinfeld where the actress danced in a way that caused everyone around her to gawk and laugh at the convulsive movements. She actually laughed aloud thinking of it, and danced toward the sitting girls, pulling one of her friends up and onto the dance floor. The girl protested, but Alyssa would not let her sit back down.
She whispered to her, “Let's give them something to remember us by, Donna. Who's your date for this lovely night?”
Donna nodded toward one of the laughing boys. “Pete.”
“David, meet Donna. She will dance with you while I get Pete on the floor.” Donna stood still, staring at Alyssa, and then at David, who was now standing still also.
“Come on, David. Don't you want to get this party going? Were you all planning on just standing around making fun of people tonight?” She started dancing again, and tugged on them both. Donna and David began dancing.
“You look cute tonight,”Donna whispered to her.
Alyssa looked into Donna's face and said, “You do, too. Very cute.”
Then she danced her way back to the boy group and curled her finger at Pete. “Let's go,” she said to him. He began protesting, “I can't dance.”
She looked at David and back at Pete. “If he can get out there, anyone can,” she said smiling. “Isn't this a dance? What were you planning on for activities for the evening?” She dragged him toward the dance floor, pausing in front of the duck that had Donna's hair drawn on it. He looked at her, and knew that she knew.
“Let's go guys!” He shouted at the other boys. “Everyone on the dance floor!”
As the incredulous boys walked toward their still sitting dates, Alyssa smiled at Donna. “I have an idea,” she whispered to Donna. “Will you back me up?”
“Well, I don't know what you're talking about, but I probably will. What do you want me to do?”
“Keep them dancing. I want to look around.”
She turned to David, “Don't let the party stop. I'm going to the ladies' room.” He stared at her without speaking and nodded.
Alyssa made her way around the side and up to the stage. There, behind the podium, were two “crowns” made from poster paper. One read “King of the Ugly Duckling Dance.” The other read “Queen of the Ugly Ducklings.” She found it hard not to cry, but hardened her heart and went to talk to the disc jockey. “I have a song request. Do you think you can find a very old song?”
“You bet. I can find anything.”
She told him the name of the song.
“Jimmy Soul. 1963. You betcha.”
“At 9:30, please.”
“You just give me a signal, and I'll play it for you.”
She walked back to the dance floor and pasted on a smile.
“David,” she asked. “Is there a photographer tonight?”
“Yes. He's setting up now in that back corner. Why?”
She only smiled and danced around the small crowd, encouraging the girls to “get with it,” while keeping her eye on the photographer. When he was ready, she excused herself from David again.
“Donna, can you come with me for a minute?” As they walked toward the side of the room, she asked Donna, “Do you see what's happening here?”
Donna nodded. “I really just want to leave.”
Alyssa was pulling her cell phone from her purse. “I need you to talk to the other girls and ask them just to go along with us, but I'm calling taxis for 9:30 for all of us. Make sure they understand what's going on, and not to tell their dates we will be leaving early. Okay?”
Donna nodded and Alyssa thought she saw a slight smile. Donna went back to the dance floor and began discretely talking to each girl. Some appeared unsure. Well, they will understand fully in a few minutes.
Alyssa made her way, still dancing, to the photographer.
“What time were you supposed to start taking pictures?” she asked him.
“Right now,” he said. “ I want to be out of here by 11:00.”
“I don't think that's going to be a problem,” she said. “But I am wondering if you can take one picture at the podium?”
“Sure. Now?”
“Can I wave at you when I'm ready?” she asked.
“No problem,” he said.
At 9:20 Alyssa turned to David. “Would you come with me?”
“Okay,” he said, but with apprehension.
She led him to the podium and turned on the microphone. “Can I get your attention please?”
When everyone had stopped talking and looked at her with obvious surprise, she continued. “On behalf of all the girls here tonight, I want to thank The Ducks for inviting us. It has already been interesting, and I know none of us will ever forget it.” She heard a snicker from one of the boys.
“I am going to take the liberty of crowning myself and my date tonight.” She reached underneath the podium and brought out the crowns, and turned to the photographer with a gesture. He was ready. He took a picture of her placing the crown on David's head, and then her own. Facing the stunned and silent crowd, she said, “I give you the King of the Ugly Duckling dance, and the Queen of the Ugly Ducklings.”
Alyssa motioned to the disc jockey. He started the music as she told the girls, “It's time to go.” They headed for the door with the music blaring:
If you want to be happy for the rest of your life, never make a pretty woman your wife.So for my personal point of view, get an ugly girl to marry you.
“Bitch!” one of the boys called.
“Have a good walk home, losers,” yelled another.
“Don't say anything else,” David said. “We are the losers.” And he ran to hold the doors open, seeing the taxis waiting.
“I am so sorry,” was all he could get out. Alyssa smiled at him.
