A sultan has the nasty habit of always killing those who serve him, until Scheherazade tells him stories of love, betrayal, and adventure. Then, after 1001 nights, her survival no longer depends on her ability to spin a good yarn. She just has to marry the sultan. At least my relationships aren’t that unhealthy. Still, if I have to compare my life to the plots of ballets just to feel good about myself, then I’m in more trouble than I thought. Jim has come to assess my work and his finger is resting against his chin. There’s that moment of undying suspense as I wait for him to speak. “I just wonder if it looks too ready-to-wear?” Jim cocks his head, studying my dress. “But then I wonder if it’s bordering on costume-y, and I start to worry that it’s like something from an upscale children’s Halloween catalog.” “Well. . .” I laugh self-deprecatingly, “at least you said ‘upscale”.”
