The Five and Dime
Beverly slipped her handbag out of her locker in the back room at Woolworth’s. The time clock, as usual, jammed slightly when she punched her time card. Typically this annoyed her, but today she couldn’t be bothered with such meaningless irritants. She surveyed her appearance in the mirror beside the door, assuring the precision of her vibrant red lipstick. Tonight, she must be perfect. Tonight, when the calendar ushered out the old decade and the champagne bubbles heralded the start of 1960, Beverly was certain that they would also bring her a fiancé.
Les had been picking up Beverly from her job at the Woolworth’s perfume counter every Friday for four months. She felt that was a suitable interval for a young man to be considering marriage. Les would be shipping out with the Navy soon, and Beverly could not fathom that he would ask her to wait for him. She was not unaware of the appreciative glances she received from other men. Les had to know that if he didn’t ask, someone else would.
Beverly smoothed her green sheath dress before she donned her matching wool coat and hat. With a nod to her reflection, Beverly walked back into the shop and found Les at the lunch counter, dredging a frankfurter through a puddle of baked beans. He hopped up when he saw her, grinning even as he finished chewing.
Beverly met his smile with a quizzical eyebrow. “Are we not dining out?”
“Sure we are, Bev,” Les answered, offering his arm. “I just got hungry is all.” He smiled winningly, planting a chaste kiss on her cheek.
Beverly playfully smacked his shoulder with her handbag. “You’ve already spoiled your appetite!” she said, threading her arm through his.
“Hardly,” Les laughed. “I could eat a horse.” He looked down the street, where flurries danced in the light of the lamp posts. “But not that one.” He nodded to something behind Beverly. She turned to find what must have been the smallest horse-drawn carriage in three counties, pulled by surely the oldest horse in as many states.
To Beverly, it was perfectly enchanting.
Les sprang up behind the driver when the carriage halted, spinning to offer Beverly his hand. She let him pull her up, and saw the seat laden with furs. “Better bundle up,” he murmured against her ear.
Beverly lifted the covers, revealing a small velvet box on the seat. “Les!” she exclaimed, looking up at him with shining eyes.
Les chuckled, gazing at her. “I have a question to ask you, Bev...”
“Yes!” she cried, tripping as she tried to throw her arms around his neck.
“I haven’t asked it yet!” he laughed, holding her steady.
“Well, then, ask it!”
“Beverly,” he began, sitting on the bench as there was no space to kneel. “Will you marry me?”
Beaming in the light glittering off the snowflakes in a way that seemed to her very much like champagne bubbles, Beverly accepted his proposal with a New Year’s kiss.