Cáit's Dance Diary

---

Diary:

February 4, 2002
Blah. I have never been in a worse mood in all of my born days (except when I fell during my Set, but that's besides the point)! I swear the world is out to eat me or something!
First of all, someone has plumb stolen my solo dress! Yes, stolen it! It was in the car, and Da went inside the Webfeis Venue to get my registration packet with my solo number, and Mom went with him. I had been chatting with Andrea, Reese, Maire, Meg, and Mairéad for most of the morning, not really paying any attention to Aoibh and what she was, or should I say, WASN'T doing.
Andrea went inside because she had an earlier competition due to her age (013, whereas I am U13), and everyone went with her, except for Mairéad, who had to get her hair ready and get her school dress out.
I was hungry, and it was really early, so I left Aoibh with the solo dress duty, bought myself a snack, and when I came back, Aoibh was chatting with some of her stuck-up friends, and the car door was wide open!
I ran over to the car nearly choking on my sandwich, stuck my spiked head inside the backseat, and nearly knocked my head off when I jerked it back out.
"AOIBH! GOOD LORD! Where is my dress?!" I ran over to her.
"I don't know. Did you try THE CAAAR?!" She sneered.
"Yeess, and it's not there!"
"Are you sure?"
"Noo, I'm not...OF COURSE I'M SURE! WHERE WOULD A SOLO DRESS GO?"
"Maybe Mom or Da took it..."
I coughed. Mainly because my heart jumped into my throat, and I still had sandwich lodged in my throat.
"And leave the car door open?"
"The car door was open?"
"YES! I hope you're satisfied. Da is going to whip you so bad!"
"You shut up. I didn't take it."
"YOU were guarding it!"
At that moment, Da came out with my packet, and I high-tailed it over to him, explained what had happened, and then ran over to the scene of the crime.
The color drained slowly from his face, and he nearly passed out.
So, we notified all of the officials, and those who had been by the car. We also asked around, peered in random car windows, searched through many of the various rooms in the venue, and by the time I was done, I was in tears, and it was time for my first competition.
Mom quickly did my hair, and she got my school dress out, and then it was time for me to dance.
I didn't see Andrea again until I was leaving, but even then I was crying, and so I didn't get much more out of myself than a meek 'hey'.
Then, when I got home, I discovered that my beginner dress that I have to turn in next weekend, had been scratched up by Aoibh's cat, Angelina ("Angel"), and so Mom had to fork out money to go get it fixed, and meanwhile, Da was desperately searching everywhere for my dress.
I just sat in my room staring at the ceiling for a while, before flipping through some old solo dress designs. One of which I may use for my new one, that is, if my current solo dress doesn't come back.
And there's more. I didn't move into Championships last Webfeis. What a lovely past two month's it's been. I swear, if I don't die of kicking myself in the shin during clicks, I'll die of all the disappointment these past months have brought me. Oh well. Maybe that's why my dancing is so bad lately. Time to cheer up. Yeah, right.

February 8, 2002
Of all the stupid things, my dress has not turned up yet. But some good news came out of it. Maureen, who is currently sick, sent me a card. She's such a great friend. I have such wonderful friends. Such wonderful friends.
I have Maire's birthday tomorrow. Andrea is sending her gift for Maire over with me, as she is in Utah for the Olympics. Soooo lucky! How I envy her sometimes...all the time.
Mom got my Beginner dress sewn up, and we returned it last night at class. We reviewed the new hornpipe, worked on my non-trad. set for our performance, and also finished and polished my new Slip Jig. Same ol' same ol'. Ah, but my life is a snore.
Aoibh is applying for colleges. She wants to go out of the country, but Mom and Da do not think she should. In fact, Da specifically told her not to apply to Brighton U. (which is three thousand miles away), and she did, anyway. Of course, it's a prestigious all-girls "genius" college, so it's probably quite stupid that she applied, as she is a C average at school right now.
Mom advised her to get her TCRG in a couple years so that, in case she doesn't get into the college she wants with the major she wants (right now it's Egyptology, last week it was English), she would have something to fall back upon.
Oh, and Aoibh is grounded for a month for "losing" my dress. Not only was the dress stolen (a $1000 value), but Ma's good camera, and Da's wrist-watch. We figure they took the dress for money. Da has been surveying Ebay and the local auctions and stores for any trace of the dress. He even went to three feiseanna this week (none of which I was in) and looked at every solo dress on and off a dancer.
Mom, on the other hand, has been contacting seamstresses and such. I think she's planning on me getting a new one, but I refuse. At least, I refuse until my next Webfeis, which is in a month or so.
Mom is going to Ireland in two weeks, and if I get an 'A' in math, I get to go with her.

February 18, 2002
Well, I am extremely overjoyed! We found my solo dress! Well, Da found it. It goes like this:
I was getting ready to go see Reese and Andrea dance, as their competition was bumped back; not sure why, maybe they capped it off. Anyway, Da decided to come and check out the competition, then swing over to various Irish dress shops in town to see if my dress had turned up there.
Well, we were walking past a used dress booth, when Da started shaking/pulling on my shoulder, and he pointed over in the direction of a young dancer and her mother shoving a very familiar natural-colored dress into an also familiar crimson Inis Covers garment bag. Da saw the mother glimpse worriedly around the hall, before pushing her daughter forward (rather violently) and ordering her to do something. Probably walk faster.
Well, not one to jump to conclusions, Da casually watched the mother and daughter pair set the garment bag down on a chair before running off to get an early lunch or something.
Da subtley unzipped the top, and sure enough, my crown stuck out around the hanger, my shiny dress bodice was revealed, and there was my name written with a black marker on the inside of the garment bag and on the back of the dress' collar: C. Monaghan 555-4738.
I nearly shouted out, but since the mother and daughter were only around the corner ordering food, I bit my tongue and together Da and I sat down in the vancant chairs next to them, as we wanted to sort of "get revenge" without being too mean.
Da's face was so incredibly red with delight, I thought he'd pop.
Well, about ten minutes later, the mother and daughter walked back from their venture. The mother's face was still incredly stressful-looking, and the daughter looked just as worried as her mother.
As soon as they sat down, Da began talking to me about my lost solo dress and about various things we'd do to those responsible.
Our conversation was quite, strange, to say the least. It went like this:
Da: So, Catie? Where do you think your SOLO DRESS is?
Me (raising my left eyebrow at my father in a confused way): Ah, I dunno. I hope it turns up. It means so much to me.
Da (with a smirk painted on his face): I KNOW HOW MUCH IT MEANS TO YOU AND IT COST A BUNDLE, AS WELL!
Me (stifling a laugh): Yes, sir.
The mother started shifting her weight in the chair, and grasped the garment bag.
Da noticed this, and to grab her attention, started talking to her.
Da: Hello, ma'am.
Lady (smiles and nods)
Da: Ah, a new solo dress, eh? My daughter had hers stolen about two weeks ago.
Lady: Oh, how horrible! Yes, this is a brand new and used solo dress for my daughter. She received it ten days ago for her first feis in Prizewinner, isn't that right, Maggie?
Maggie: Uh huh.
Da: Oh, could we see it? I'd like to see how lovely it looks.
Lady (nervously smiles and turns away as if she didn't hear): Why, certainly.
She unzipped the bag, and revealed MY SOLO DRESS!!!!! Immediately Da stood up, saying that it was mine.
Lady: I haven't a clue what you are talking about.
Da: Let me have a look at the dress.
Lady: No, sir! This does not belong -
Da: Yes it does, now let me see, or I will notify the officials!
Lady (after looking horrified at my father): Fine, fine. Have a look.
Da (peering at the collar for my name): Ah HA! See this, this is my daughter's name. Cáit Monaghan. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll take her dress and garment bag -
Lady: This is not your bag!
Da: You're right, it's my daughter's.
With that, he took my dress and bag, and we were off to notify the officials. We told them that the lady may not have taken it, just purchased it, so not to jump on her.
We don't know what happened after that, but all I know is that I was extremely happy for the rest of the feis.