Sleeping Beauty

November 13, 2011 – Sleeping Beauty

There’s a community room above the apartment’s parking garage. Tenants can rent it out for 60 soles a whack. They often do. I spy on them while they set up, while they party, and again-- usually the next day--when they clean everything up. I’m amazed by the extravagance. These are usually themed parties which I imagine don’t come at small expense.

Some nights I curse the partiers because Peru has no noise isolation. No sound absorption in the walls. It all bleeds out into the night. Into my room. Into my head. However, that aside, these parties provide me with plenty of observational entertainment.

I’ve seen parties emceed by a giant Minnie Mouse. I’ve seen parties with an illuminated disco ball to encourage the Saturday Night Fever. Once there was a bridal shower. At least that was my best guess. A man decorated what looked like a princess bed with this veil like curtain. A trio of women came and went bringing plates and trays of food. I watched this party prep very curiously because other high heeled, dressed up women kept arriving with these giant suitcases, double teaming to get them up the two flights of stairs, across the patio and into the room. They seemed heavy enough to be filled with gold bars. I never did get a glimpse of what was inside them.

I need binoculars.

On Halloween the room got decked out with spooky webs and plastic spiders and then the children, dressed in mostly Disney character costumes, trooped in and ran about happily. That night Batman, Snow White, Jasmine, a Cowgirl, a Gypsy, Woody (from Pixar’s Toy Story), a Pink-Caped Wonder and even Captain America showed up.  

If I’d been invited I’d have wanted to go as Batman. Or Zorro. Wearing a cape is always cool. My delusions of grandeur swell when I have a cape on. Not that I go around wearing a cape…

The highlight of my Halloween was when Captain America lost his pants. One second he was defending South America, the next he was advertising skin. With a little bit of panic he grabbed them back up and then ran off to find his mother to help him secure the drawstring.

I also need a camera with better zoom.

Last night the room got decorated with Disney Princess cutouts. Pink and white balloons made the room’s bland interior more festive. A huge pink frosted cake sat on a table in the corner like a fat Buddha to be worshiped. People of all ages arrived; grandparent types, parents with small children, parents with older children, teenagers. Many came with gifts in hand.

Some little girl was getting the birthday party of a lifetime.

Or some little boy was having all his princess dreams come true.

In the gym, only a beeline from the party room, two young ladies began to don the apparel of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. A young man eventually put on some sort of Aladdinesque costume. When Sleeping Beauty had her hair arranged, the three royals walked regally, all the while being filmed by one of the partygoers, from their dressing room to the party room. Enthusiasm marked their entry. Soon the sounds of merriment completely filled the air and I watched the children vigorously wave elongated balloons in time to the music. It was a strange and colorful and frenetic dance.


Later, peering out into the gathering darkness, I saw Sleeping Beauty’s blonde wig abandoned. Left hanging on a piece of exercise equipment.

As I spied on the remnants of the festivities, I hummed I Know You, I Walked With You Once Upon a Dream under my breath. Maybe now Sleeping Beauty is off sleeping somewhere just waiting for True Love to come wake her up. I only hope her prince recognizes her with her natural hair.