Special Effects: A Happy Face

"It makes you wonder where we're headed, doesn't it. You'd think that, with all this science going on, people would stop being so superstitious, but they seem to be getting worse!"

"I don't really want to go with uncle Knibbs."

"I understand that," said Stephanie's mother, lifting the empty basket, "But you've said you're going so you'll have to. It is only once every ten years anyway. You'll be twenty when he asks you again. Fancy that! Twenty!"

"I might be married, with two children, by then," said Stephanie, teasing.

"Go on with you! When I was twenty, I had only just left home. You take your time getting married my girl. Not worth the rush!"

Stephanie followed her mother back into the house.

"What I'd really love," she said, dreamily "Is for the whole dance to go wrong. I'd like everyone to see just how silly it really is!"

"I doubt whether that will ever happen," said her mother "People do so many other silly things, and you never see them wake up to how silly they look do you?"

"No," said Stephanie.

Her father was in the living room, reading a book.

"Hi Dad."

"Hi Steph. Have a good day at school?"

"Yeah."

Stephanie sat on the other end of the couch and looked at her father. He felt her eyes on him and smiled at her.

"OK," he said, "What's on your mind?"

"Uncle Knibbs asked me to join the Dance."

"And you're going?"

"Might as well. I haven't seen him since I was three. He told me."

"But you don't believe in the Dance, do you?"

"No."