Dancing in the Oaks

The Dress

Nick came to visit me and check up on me the next day. I was kind of relieved when he came back because I needed to get a few things off my shoulders. After much of a discussion we finally decided to head down the stairs of doom. It sounds cheesy, but sometimes us country folk assign nicknames to everything. I just get that bad feeling in the basement. Is it haunted? The feeling intensified every time we tracked our feet down the stairs. Nick helped me down the stairs even though I was fine. I must say that I'm so happy that my ankle has healed. It's been a year and so far it's been alright.

I took Nick over to a corner that had been previously unexplored. This corner was a little more isolated than the others. I bent over and opened a box. It was about two feet by two feet. Quite a big box for the plentiful amounts of stuff inside. The search began with a bunch of my fathers stuff. He had box wrenches and old woodworking projects. I feel like my dad was somewhat of a hoarder when it came to tools and things along that line. His excuse was always something to the extent that it can be used for something. I guess in a way he was right about it. However, his box wrench collection was very plentiful. My mother never cared because she was distant from that situation. She couldn't say anything or else my father may get a little upset. I didn't want to say anything to him either. I still remember when I asked if he had an 11/16 box wrench. He scoffed and told me it's in the case.

Nick had opened another box and seemed quite alarmed. "What is this?" He asked, quite confused.

I walked over to him as he grabbed my hand making sure I didn't trip. I picked up a pile of fabric. "Oh. That's my grandmother's Bavarian folk dress. Nick! They came over from Germany 60 years ago." I couldn't help but get a little emotional as I held up the dress. I have never been able to see this dress before.

Nick's eyes widened a little as he looked at the dress and then back at me. I stood there blushing a little. "It's pretty. That is a nice dress. Do you know anything about it?" He said.

"My parents shunned German culture. I never figured it out because I love being German. I mean aren't we all supposed to recognize and be proud of our ancestors? I have felt terrible that I have lost the culture. They wear these dresses to the folk festivals in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, and I think parts of Italy. I have only done very little research because I seemingly have to find things out on my own. Obviously the style originated from the area of the Alps and Bavaria." I picked up more out of the box. "German necklaces. Edelweiss is a beautiful flower that grows in the Alps. It's a symbol of purity in Germany. I don't understand why my parents would just throw this stuff down here."

He smiled. "You got to try it on." He picked up a flower crown. "A flower headpiece?"

I patted the dust off of the dress. It looked like it had been here since we have moved here. "Yes, yes I will for sure try it on. She would wear that too."

Nick pulled out a photograph from when my grandparents met. They were 16 when they met at the Bavarian festival. "Why is it ripped right there? Oh the number 12 on the picture? What could that.."I said as my mind spun in a 360.

"What does that mean?" Nick interrupted.

"How many times does the moon revolve around the earth?" I thought for a moment. "What month is October? Hmm.. 10. That wouldn't make sense" I continued to pull out more Germanic clothing. "This was also my grandmothers. It's her necklace. Why would my family ever hide this from me?" I couldn't mentally believe it. The only photo I have ever seen of my grandparents was the one from when they met at the folk festival. Now, they were only 16 and 18 at the time. That's the only photo my parents let me see. I've always been wanting that dress. "I don't know if this will fit me, but I'll try it on. I've got the apron, blouse, and the dress part. My grandmother was a few pounds less than I am. I guess we'll find out."