This is a very short story of how I was once taught a very valuable lesson.
I had just turned 18 and was finishing my senior year in high school. My family didn't have much money. I was one year younger than my older brother was. We were a happy family until one day ten years ago, Dad ran out on us. My mom went to where he had been working and found out he had been fired six months before. She went to the bank and found that during those six months we had been living on the savings and he had drained the account the day before. When the teller told her the news, my mom cried so much that the bank manager came over. I guess her story made him feel so sorry for her that he gave her a job. It wasn't much, but we pulled together and made ends meet.
I had been dating Jim since for a couple of months when he asked me to the prom. It thrilled me to death to be asked and just about broke my heart when I told him no. I walked into the house that night and my mom immediately knew something was wrong. Somehow she always could tell with these things with me.
"Sunny, what's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing Mom."
"Come on," she said, "Spill it."
"Jim asked me to the prom."
"That's great news! I'm so happy for you. You know I think the world of Jim," Mom said as she hugged me.
"I told him no," I said quietly.
"Why?" Mom asked, but then she knew. "Is it because of the money?"
I knew better than to lie. All of a sudden I really hated my father for running out on us. I burst into tears. "Its really no big deal. I know we couldn't afford a prom dress."
Mom kissed me and sent me upstairs to do my homework. As I was starting I heard Mom leave the house. She returned about an hour later. I heard her climb the stairs and knock on my door.
"Come in."
The door opened and my mom entered. In her hands she held a box. She set the box on my bed and smiled at me. "Happy Birthday, Sunny."
I jumped up and tore the box open. Inside was a black velvet formal dress. I held it up against my body and looked in the mirror. It was beautiful. I couldn't believe how sexy it was. The way the dress was cut, I wouldn't be able to wear a bra. "Wow Mom," I said, "this is going to be really revealing."
"Yeah," Mom replied, "but you sure have the body for it. Enjoy it while you have it. What size bra are you wearing these days?"
"34D," I replied.
"Sunny, have you ever been with a man?"