THE BEST FIND/PURCHASE THAT I HAVE EVER MADE OCCURRED IN 2006.

KIM, A FRIEND OF MINE, OPERATED A CONSIGNMENT SHOP, BUT SHE WAZ GOING OUT OF BUZINESS THE NEXT MONTH. I WAZ STANDING IN THERE ONE AFTERNOON WHEN A WOMAN WALKED IN AND SAID TO KIM:

"Hello... would you be interested in buying a wedding dress?" KIM SAID, "No, I have 3 inexpensive ones hanging over there that I will be lucky to sell before I go out of business next month." THE WOMAN SOMEWHAT PERSISTED, PULLING OUT A PHOTO FROM HER POCKETBOOK. (I leaned in to look ? ) "Here is a photo of me on my wedding day. This beauty has a 25 foot train, a tiara to wear, it's a size 5 that can easily be altered to a size 3 or 7... and is made in a Victorian style!" ? ? ?

? ? LIGHT BULBZ LIGHTING INSIDE MY HEAD, MAKING ME LIGHT-HEADED ? ?

KIM SAID, "Ma-am, I still wouldn't be interested; I'm sorry." THE WOMAN SAID, "All I want is what I paid to get it sealed, $150.00. I can bring it in if you'd like." ONCE AGAIN, KIM SAID, "I am really not interested in putting any more money into items to sell, I'm sorry."

AZ THE WOMAN PUT THE PHOTO BACK IN HER POCKETBOOK, I LOOKED AT KIM WITH RAIZED EYEBROWZ, THEN I SAID TO THE WOMAN, "WOULD YOU LET ME LOOK AT IT??" SHE SAID, "Of course! Are you planning on getting married soon?" I LAUGHED AND SAID, "HA!! NO... THAT'S NOT WHAT I HAVE IN MIND!!"

AZ I FOLLOWED HER TO HER CAR, SHE SAID, "My ex-husband was very well off financially. He paid $5200.00 for this dress in 1992. We divorced a few months ago, and like I said, all I want is $150.00; what I paid to get it professionally sealed." [I DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT SHE MEANT BY GETTING A WEDDING DRESS "sealed," BUT WITHIN A FEW SECONDS, I FOUND OUT!!]

I ASSISTED HER IN HELPING REMOVE THE DOUBLE BOXED ITEM FROM HER TRUNK. THEN, SHE SLID IT OUT AZ I HELD THE OUTER BOX. I LAID THE BOX DOWN AZ SHE REVEALED IT. I GLANCED AT THE INTRICATE BEADWORK AND SEQUINZ ON THE VICTORIAN STYLE FRONT, THEN TURNED AWAY. SHE SAID, "What's wrong? You don't like it?" WITHOUT TURNING AROUND (((my brain waz trying to fully grasp this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity))), I SAID, "NOTHING IZ WRONG... I'LL TAKE IT." short white lace wedding dress

AFTER REGAINING MY COMPOZURE, I PULLED OUT MY WALLET AND PAID HER, THEN SAID, "THIS DRESS WILL BE FOR MY DAUGHTER. HER NAME IZ ~Victoriana~... AND HER MOTHER IZ ABOUT A SIZE 3." WITH TEARZ WELLING IN HER EYEZ, SHE THEN SAID, "Victoriana?! Oh my god, what a beautiful name and coincidence! How old is she?"

STUNNING HER [AND THE ENTIRE WORLD!!], I SAID, "SHE IZ 5 YEARZ OLD... FIVE." THE WOMAN SAID, " ? Oh. My. God. ? I have NEVER heard of a parent buying a wedding dress for their 5 year-old daughter! WOW!!"

I SAID, "NO ONE ELSE HAZ EVER HEARD OF IT, EITHER!!"