April 4 - "The Purple Dress"

“The Purple Dress”
by O. Henry
The Gift of the Magi and Other Stories (2002)

* * * (Good) Realistic

Maida has saved and planned and dreamed of the purple dress she will wear to the annual Thanksgiving dinner at work. When she selflessly loans the final $4 due on the tailored dress to her rent-starved friend, Madia’s purple dream appears to fade away.

Schmaltzy – and sometimes the right word just pops into your head – but entirely the appropriate tone for the story. Not all stories need be built out of intricate plots, clever coincidences, and slick dialogue. Sometimes, the perfect purple party dress and the kindness of friends and strangers is enough. And in this instance, there is no irony in the twist ending, just good people finding happy endings. A simple Saturday story.