Episode Report Card Pamie: A | 1 USERS: A YOU GRADE IT A Christmas Rory
By Pamie | Season 1 | Episode 9 | Aired on 2000.12.20
Lorelai says that's a good answer. She points out that Rory's never been to a dance before, so she really doesn't have anything to compare it to, so she can't really know that she'll hate it. She says that Rory is, "basing all of [her] opinions on one midnight viewing of Sixteen Candles." And I must admit, I was terrified of my first school dance as I was basing all of my opinions on several viewings of Sixteen Candles and I didn't want to end up crying in a hallway after watching Jake Ryan go home with some blonde idiot. Except my Jake Ryan looked much more like Farmer Ted. But he still went home with some blonde idiot. At least in my memory. Whatever, he probably went home with three other boys to stay up late and play D&D, but you know, my terribly martyred teen memory makes it more painful than it probably was. Rory, however, has clearly thought about this dance, and offers her reasons as to why she'll hate it: "It'll be stuffy and boring and the music will suck and since none of the kids at school like me, I'll be standing in the back listening to 98°, watching Tristan and Paris argue over which one of them gets to make me miserable first." Lorelai says it might be, "All sparkly and exciting and [she'll] be standing on the dance floor listening to Tom Waits with some great-looking guy staring at [her] so hard that [she doesn't] even realize that Paris and Tristan have just been eaten by bears." Rory asks what guy could do that. Lorelai suggests the guy who stands around in their trees all night. Rory says that CuteDean "does not hang out in trees." Lorelai: "He bashed his head in a branch when I came out of the house too quickly." She says that she doesn't want Rory to miss out on a good time just because she's afraid. Rory asks what she's afraid of. Lorelai offers, "Of...asking Dean. Of, of him saying no. Of...going to a dance with a bunch of kids who haven't accepted you yet. Of dancing in public. Of finding out you should never be dancing in public." Rory asks Lorelai to stop, clearly because if she wasn't afraid of those things before, she is now. Lorelai says she worries about Rory not participating in school things not because she doesn't like them but because she's just too shy. Lorelai says that if Rory doesn't want to go because she really doesn't want to go and not because she's afraid, then she won't bring it up again. "I don't have a dress," Rory says quietly. Lorelai says she'll make her one. And they'll go get new shoes and earrings and get her hair done. "You won't think I'm an idiot?" Rory asks. "Depends on what hairstyle you choose," Lorelai smiles. Lorelai says that this dance could be great for Rory. We close in on Rory's face as we fade to the opening credits. My mother was smart enough to make sure she had as little as possible to do with my actual important first dance. She took me shopping to buy clothes and she had me tell her how to do my hair. She made sure that she hadn't picked anything out and hadn't cancelled out any of my choices so that if the dance didn't go well, she couldn't possibly be blamed. Consequently, for my first school dance I wore black pants with a giant pink sweater that came down to almost my knees with a white Oxford poking out underneath. I had a giant pink bow in my hair that tied back just the top part of my hair. I had a braid down the back, my hair all curled around the braid and an enormous bangs pouf on the top of my head. I had a big, pink, clunky bracelets that hurt my hand if I put any pressure on it. I wore black Mary Janes with thick white socks poking out. I pegged my jeans, even though they were already zippered and tapered at the ankles. I had giant pink hoop earrings in. I looked like Molly Ringwald's awkward cousin. Mom learned from that, though, as any pain I suffered at these school dances was blamed on friends, boys, or myself. Mom hired a dressmaker (we brought in the pattern and the fabric) and a hairstylist (photo courtesy of Sassy magazine) for prom. Smart Mom.