The Glow of the Spotlight: My Journey with Rebecca

We decide to stay, and I ask Rebecca whether we can really spare a few more minutes. She glances up at a clock ticking near the wings, admitting it’s getting late, but insists we can’t leave before the curtain falls. A mime in white face paint finishes his silent routine and takes his bow, and then Mr. Walrus strides back out, waving both arms to call every act back onto the stage at once. Rebecca links her arm through mine as we file out with the rest of the performers, the whole line of us waiting on the audience to decide.

Mr. Walrus holds his hand over each act in turn, and the crowd’s applause swells or fades depending who he stops on. When he stops over us, there’s thunderous applause and cheers.

It’s close, Mr. Walrus declares, but the crowd’s loudest roar settles it. The two girls who sang “Ave Maria” take first place. The girls accept the award as they curtsy hand-in-hand.

Then Mr. Walrus settles the crowd and says there’s one more award. Runner-up goes to the Ruby Sisters!

Out of every act on that stage, the Ruby Sisters take second place! Rebecca lets out an “Eeep!” and throws our arms straight up into the air. I spin her around before tap-dancing us both toward the front of the stage to accept our prize.

We dash off into the wings still laughing, breathless with the thrill of it, second place and all.