Sisters Marcella and Desireé were beauty queens. Whenever there was a beauty pageant, no matter how remote the title, Desireé and Marcella entered to win money, scholarships, prizes, it really didn’t matter. As they grew older they believed their vast experience competing in pageants offered them an opportunity to put their experience to some use for profit running their own pageant and giving younger women a chance to wear a crown.
It was Desireé’s idea to try to get the contract for the Miss Topeka Pageant.
“It’s been poorly run,” said Desireé. “We could sell advertising, sign up sponsors and make a lot of money.”
But first they had to impress the Kansas State Board of Pageants in Pratt. They decided they would attend the Miss Kansas Pageant and meet the directors to woo them with their magnificent business prowess. Of course wardrobe was a must. Marcella bought a pink chiffon gown glittering with rhinestones.
“I think I’ll call it my Princess Di dress. The cowboys in Pratt will love it,” Marcella bragged.
“They’re liable to try to take a bite out of you,” Desireé laughed.
With confidence and exuberating they engaged two of their best beauty queen friends Bonita and Kate to travel with them to “OZ” to find themselves a pageant of their own.
Armed with a glittering wardrobe, a suitcase full of cosmetics and overflowing confidence they drove to Pratt where the end of the rainbow awaited.
The citizens of Pratt knew how to put on a pageant. There was a parade in the morning after brunch, luncheon at noon and a formal dinner before the curtains were drawn to a packed auditorium. But, the beauty queens were not prepared for the cocktails served at every event and the sisters could not tolerate drinking. They tried, they really did, but by the time the new Miss Kansas was crowned they had become intoxicated. There was nothing left to do but continue with the revelry. The state pageant directors decided to take the beauty queens out on the town and show them the highlights of Pratt.
Of course they couldn’t reject their offer, after all the beauty queens were going to impress them with their business knowledge.
Although somewhat out of place in their gowns, Marcella was pleased with herself in her Lady Di gown. The cowboys loved her, especially when they realized she could speak French.
“J’adore la fete,” Marcella slurred as the evening progressed into the morning hours. (She was prolific in French by 3 a.m.)
With somewhat less decorum than when they arrived in Pratt, the sisters said goodbye to the state pageant directors and returned home, with throbbing heads and nausea.
“Au revior, a demain mes Monsieur’s,” Marcella waved her royal wave goodbye.
The sisters had agreed to call the state pageant directors the next morning to find out their decision.
“I’m sure we got the Miss Topeka Pageant contract,” Desireé said with confidence. “I think they were impressed.”
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