If you had asked me four years ago whether I’d ever be ringside at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa for a Disney on Ice show (let alone one named “Princess Classics”) I’d have laughed out loud. But last night, there I was, holding my breath in an arena full of 3 – 5 year old girls, waiting for the show to begin.
“Ladies and Gentlemen,” boomed a deep voice over the P.A. as Tinkerbell skated onto the ice, setting the stage for a full night of magic by twirling a glitter-loaded wand above her head. Then, Mickey and Minnie Mouse appeared from behind the castle gates to a perfectly timed musical opening, and that’s when the real screaming began.
It was a last minute invitation (our friend Shannon had an extra ticket), but unfortunately my wife Jen had to work and couldn’t take our daughter Alchemy to the show. I, conveniently enough, had no plans whatsoever. Shannon’s daughter Violet “really wanted Alchemy to go” and Jen assured me that she would “have Alchemy’s clothes laid out for me” when I got home. This sounded easy enough. Then, Shannon promised to drive. Even better! How could I say no to an easy “cool dad” opportunity? When I arrived home, however, I discovered my first clue to what the night had in store. Laid out on the dining room table – alongside a juice box and a bag of snacks – was a flowing, blue Cinderella dress and a silver tiara.
“Shit,” I thought, “I’ve got to dress her up like a princess?”
