After a seven hour drive we were exhausted but in fine spirits. The drive had been through the Rockies and with every corner was a new view an exciting vista. Joe did all the driving because I have vertigo and a wee bit of dizziness isn't something you want when all that keeps you from pummetting hundres of feet is a wee barrier put up by the government to make you feel good. When we pulled into the hotel, the driveway was blocked by a caravan of limos.
Surrounding the limos were what seemed like hundreds of young women is prom dresses. They all looked like escapees from the Wilkes BBQ in Gone With The Wind. The young men were all in tuxes and did various things to try to make themselves stand out. Some had their hair frosted in odd colours, a couple had facial hair cut with zigs and zags. To a one they tried to be singular, be noticed and above all be beautiful.
Part of me felt a little saddened. To be beautiful some of the girls looked like they hadn't eaten in a couple of months just to fit into their prom dresses. A couple even looked like they'd topped their breasts up with the air hose at the gas station. The guys too were very concious about how they looked and glanced at their reflection in the window just as often as the girls did. Many were topping themselves up with drinks from little silver flasks kept in their pants pockets.
All well and good, but how were we going to get in? One of the limos was parked right in front of the ramp to the hotel. I waited as Joe went to check if we could get to our room by entering somewhere else. Then I was noticed by a woman I'd over looked. She was stunning. But wow, what she was wearing really stood out. She wore a simple shift (forgive me I don't know fashion and am having a tough time here) over black knee length trousers. Nice, but hardly in the 'Will you eat Bar-b-que with me Scarlett?' category.
At first I thought that she was a sister or a friend of the promettes, but no, she was included in all the pictures and very much a part of the group. When she noticed me, it took her only seconds to see the problem. She smiled. God, she was spectacularly beautiful.Then she went over to the limo and slapped twice on the back window. The driver poked his head out, bored. She spoke to him briefly pointing over at me. He glared at me, annoyed he'd have to move. But he started it up and got out of the way.
By the time Joe came back out the limo was out of the way and we could easily get in. As it was a bit uphill Joe got behind and helped me up the ramp. As I went by I thanked her for her intervention. She nodded and went back to her party friends.
Her buddies had spent what looked like thousands to stand out. She managed to do so without spending a cent.
isn't real beauty amazing!
ReplyDeleteonce again, thanks for your amazing observational skills and for sharing.
Dave, Unrelated to today's entry...but their is a story emerging out of Tijuana about a disabled man that was wrongly deported..you can find it on yahoo news with those keywords. Very tragic...we should do something. Alan: kirbhund@sbcglobal.net
ReplyDeleteI grew up with the wise words of my mum telling me, "Real beauty comes from within." I never really took those words on board until I was much older--but your story demonstrates their truth so beautifully.
ReplyDeletethat is the same story amanda and i sent you?
ReplyDeletei mean the wrongly deported guy.
ReplyDeleteYou know, when I was little, I asked my mother a question. The question that perhaps every little girl asks her mom at some point in there lives. I went up to her and I said, " Mom, do you think I'm pretty? " She smiled and looked down into my big innocent green eyes and said.....
ReplyDelete"Well honey, you have a great personality!"
I laugh whenever I think of that story. It made me think though. My pesonality is what makes me beautiful, not what I wear or what I look like. Although I was quite upset when her comment was first made, but I get it now.
I LOVE that. I'm going to have my 9 year old read this when she gets home today. I know it's her age, but I already see her spending WAY too much time trying to look "pretty". Real beauty....such a rare thing. Thanks Dave!
ReplyDelete