Jolene’s Debt

by Willow Verkerk

 
Why Jolene picked this rusty little town was something she had given more thought to than she let on. She would say that she liked the antique shops and the lake, that she had an uncle (not the blood kind, the family friend kind) who had lived here when she was young. It was the nature of the place and the quiet way of living that made it so special. It was a good place to get away from a city life that had turned rancid, she thought, but she didn’t say that.

The most difficult question at first was how to set up the school right. She had to make sure it sounded professional but not snobby, somewhere fun for kids, special to suit the town. Jolene knew her looks could be eccentric, but that it could work for her as long as she seemed friendly, humble, even a bit homely at first. She stopped wearing makeup, pulled her hair in a bun and wore those wrap-around ballet shirts that look very ballet-like.

She had certificates made up and pulled some photos together from jazzercise and aerobics. Old photos of her with her younger cousins playing dance were useful too, then her classy headshots from the acting gig and a couple pairs of used point shoes made the place feel official. She advertised in the local newspaper. The signs at the schools and community centre helped, but the biggest help was the ladies book club. One of the members, Angela, was a former beauty contestant who praised the discipline and fine breeding of ballet. Jolene winced inside when she met her, swearing that she was one of the working girls from the city. But, when Angela convinced five mothers to sign up their daughters during their first meeting Jolene decided it was a foolish case of paranoia. The girls she knew were never that nice.
Read more