This article is from the original Chicano in Paris recently moved here to its new home.
I was walking my little furball thinking about Taylor Swift just now when I saw a little girl and her au pair shining like a couple of diamonds.
Don’t worry, I’ll explain it all to you in the next few words.
You see, this morning as I was laying in bed trying to find the motivation to kick my legs over the side and start my day, I was scrolling through my social media trying my best to avoid anything to do with the downfall of America. I came across a few posts about Tay-Tay and the Grammies. Apparently, people have opinions about her… expressing joy? Or maybe they were just assholes who like to complain because she had the audacity to dance? I dunno. It seems anytime she breathes someone has to bitch about it.
But then I saw someone respond with a clip of an interview where she states that she is acutely aware that people will whine about her dancing. She, in an absolute astute moment of badassery, quipped about being tall and lanky and looking like a baby giraffe when she dances. I wanted to hug the kid, honestly.
She then goes on to say that as she wrote Shake It Off she knew the video she wanted to make was going to be her dancing like, well, Taylor Swift. I have to admit dear reader that in my fifty-two years I’d never actually watched the video.
So I watched it. And I caught myself smiling the kind of smile that hurts your face because your face is not big enough to hold the joy. You know that feeling? Here was this kid who was constantly ridiculed for nothing more than having joy and instead of it dimming her spirit she shined even brighter.
Anyway, that was what I was thinking about as I walked Dexter just a little bit ago.
Then as we turned off of Exelmans for the last big stretch home we ended up behind a little auburn haired diva and her au pair. They weren’t walking down the Paris streets, they weren’t even strutting; they were fucking dancing. Like Broadway musical, the world is our stage and you are all privileged to be here watching kind of dancing. For a quarter of a mile or so I walked slower than usual because the truth is there really was only an audience of two and the show was sublime. Auburn hair would dance some over the top number, au pair would shake it like all the best supporting cast members do, then they would grab hands and do something together.
This went on over and over and over and … all I could do was smile and be grateful to be right here,right now.
And then it happened. In the midst of all of her … gesticulating, she saw Dexter. Her eyes got HUGE and she bowed a huge exaggerated bow to her audience of one (I am more than happy to be chopped liver in this scenario) before twirling back around continuing with the show.
We crossed Rue de Varize and they went one way while Dexter and turned towards home.
I will likely never see her again and I am not the type to take photos of children out in the wild. But this kid will stay with me for awhile. I hope she never lets the world dim her shine. If ever the world tries to dim her shine I hope she decides to… well, shakes it off… and then decides to shine brighter.
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