Over the Decades

“Sammie, you better be getting ready! We don’t want to be late!” Sam’s mom called from the bottom of the stairs.

Sam rolled her eyes and plopped on her bed, shoved her earbuds in place and turned on her music as loud as it would go.

Tonight was the Halloween Dance at school and the theme is to dress up from your favorite decade. Sam’s mom was more excited about it than she was. She kept bugging Sam to pick a decade, but she did not care about it at all.

She did not even want to go, so Sam’s mom decided to make her costume from one of her own favorite decades. It was from a movie she made Sam watch repeatedly. The costume was hanging on the back of her closet mocking her.

Sam closed her eyes and began to fall asleep to the sound of her music. One of her earbuds slipped out of her ear as her head fell to one side and then she could hear her mother banging on her bedroom door.

“Sam, we are going to be late! Open this door right now!” She screamed.

Sam leaped off of her bed, threw her phone down and whipped open the door.

“Mom! I…” She stopped mid-sentence because when Sam opened the door her mom was standing in front of her in the strangest outfit.

Her hair was cut in a short bob of curls and her normal strawberry blonde hair was now so bright and shiny it was almost white and her dress was covered in sparkles, beads, and long black fringe.

Sam stepped out of her room and everything around them turned white.

“Mom, what is happening? And what are you wearing?” Sam asked with a puzzled look on her face.

“Come on we are going to be late!” She repeated, then grabbed Sam’s arm and hurried over to a door on the far side of the white room they were now standing in.

“Mom, where are we going?” Sam asked so confused.

She read “1920”on the door that was now in front of them.

“Just come on! We don’t want to miss it!” Her mom replied as she opened the door and they walked into a room that was filled with people who were dressed just like her.

Women were dancing in the middle of the room while men smoked their cigarettes and cigars. Everyone was drinking there martinis and scotch while they laughed and moved to the music all around them.

All the ladies in the room were wearing flapper outfits just like her mother. Most of them were dancing, some were sitting on couches scattered around the room laughing and talking in groups. There were a few hanging over a piano in the corner of the room while a man was banging the keys with his head bobbing up and down.

“Mom, where are we?” Sam asked insistently.

“A party, but we have to keep moving! We don’t want to be late!” She said as she grabbed her arm and began to move through the party.

“Late for what? Where are we going?” Sam asked again.

She smiled and said, “To show you what the decades are all about. This is 1920s!” She announced as she continued to move through the room. “Now lets go!”

She pushed open another door and pulled her through.

As soon as the door shut behind them, Sam’s mom twirled around, and she was in another outfit. This time it was a long black ball gown with hair now brown pulled back in a high princess bun on the crown of her head and a rather large diamond necklace around her neck.

Sam’s mom pulled her towards another door and this one said “1930” on it.

The door swung up then suddenly they were at a very fancy dinner party. It was much slower than the last party they just came from.

The men were wearing tuxedos and the woman were in gowns similar to her mom’s. They were all standing in small circles around the room chatting with one another while sipping on their wine glasses. The piano sat in the middle of the room this time and the music was setting a relaxing mellow tone for the whole room.

Sam felt completely out of place at this party and followed close behind her mom who had not stopped walking since they came through the door.

“This is the 1930s” She said gently over her shoulder as they continued to walk through the party. “We have to keep moving though if we are going to make it on time!”

“Make what on time, mom? Where are we going?” Sam asked impatiently as they walked through the next door and were back in the white room.

This time Sam’s mom turned around and she was wearing what looked like a jump suit that was cinched at the waist with a red belt and her hair tied up with a red polka dot hair bow and shiny red heels.

Sam was speechless at the drastic change that she didn’t even bother to ask any more questions.

The next door was marked with “1940” on it. When the door swung open they were in some sort of hall or banquet room with wooden floors and people swing dancing all around. Most of the men were wearing sailor uniforms and were throwing the woman around there bodies so quickly it was making Sam’s head spin.

She wanted to stop and enjoy some of this party but her mom just kept moving through and she felt like she had to keep up. Especially so she could figure out where they were trying to get to.

This time in the white room, Sam’s mom turned around in a poodle skirt, a cardigan sweater, and black and white saddle shoes.

The next door was marked with “1950” on it and when it opened they were standing in what looked like some sort of ice cream shop. There was a juke box in the corner playing music and people dancing on a black and white tiled dance floor. Others were sitting in booths and some were even outside on top of bright shiny classic muscle cars.

“We are getting closer, dear! Keep moving!” Sam’s mom said while she moved with the music and danced to the other side of the room to yet another door.

Sam’s eye were wide trying to take it all in before they moved on to the next door. She could see herself in a place like this.

The door shut behind them and Sam’s mom turned around this time in a bell bottom jeans with colorful patches all over them, a velvet fringed halter top with flowers across it and across her forehead as well.

Sam knew what number was coming next. “1960”

The whole room was filled with bright colors and tie dye everything. This party was on the extremely mellow side. There were groups of people scattered throughout the room sitting on bean bag chairs and big soft couches smoking what looked like cigarettes but definitely didn’t smell like them.

Sam’s mom was still on the move towards the next door and Sam stayed close behind her, excited to see what was next.

They entered the white room and Sam’s mom transformed into a short floral dress and go go boots.

The door marked “1970” opened into a dark room filled with people dancing under a disco ball and colorful psychedelic lights flashing laser beams in every direction.

Sam’s mom bopped to the music while they moved through the room to the next door.

“We are almost there!” Sam’s mom announced with a huge smile.

Sam’s eyes had to adjust for a second when they entered the white room again because it was so dark in the last one.

When Sam’s mom spun around this time, she was covered in layers of different colors head to toe and had on leg warmers with high heeled shoes.

The door marked “1980” opened into a skating rink. People came flying by them in their own colorful outfits, big poofy hair and music pumping all around them. People skated in circles around each other laughing and swaying with the music.

Sam grabbed her mom’s hand as they walked through this time so she wouldn’t get caught between any of the skaters gliding around them.

When they reached the other side of the room, Sam’s mom stopped and turned towards her.

“We are here!” She smiled and hugged her daughter. “Go ahead.”

Sam’s mom pointed towards the door and stepped out of the way.

‘Aren't you coming with me?” Sam asked.

“No Sam. Its your turn now. Go on. Its okay.”

Sam put her hand on the door and wasn’t sure what to expect on the other side. Would it be another white room or another place altogether? She didn’t know.

Sam took a deep breath and turned the knob slowly. As the door began to move, her eyes flew open and she was back in her room lying on her bed.

She looked around for a minute trying to figure out if that was real or if it was just a dream. Then out of the corner of her eye she saw the costume her mom had made her for the dance hanging on her closet door.

Sam smiled and realized that the outfit her mom made her was perfect. She quickly got dressed and did her hair and make up to match.

Shortly after Sam put the finishing touches on her ensemble, there was a knock at the door.

“Sam are you ready?” Her mom called from behind the door.

Sam put her hand on the knob and smiled to herself once again and pulled it open.

“Yes mom I am ready to go!” She said with an enormous smile on her face.