I was out shopping today, minding my own business, when the telltale pitter patter of raindrops told me I was about to get a famous Brussels "drache" or drenching. At this time of year I am never without my trusty gay umbrella, and was carrying a couple of red plastic carrier bags. I quickly popped one over my cashmere twinset, fashioning the other deftly into an Ubongan toffee-wrapper headdress. One does so hate getting one's pearls wet, n'est-ce pas?
Some friendly female impersonators
Well, when in a tight spot, my solution has always been to go with the flow. So I joined in with the chanting, which went along the lines of "Death to bankers, they're all wankers, we're only here for the beer!" and "Down with IT ALL". After a while I found I was enjoying myself. It was quite liberating to shout in the street, as any bag lady could tell you. I was transported back to the heady days in Paris a few years ago when Vi Hornblower and I re-enacted May 1968 with shopping bags in place of Molotov cocktails, and ended up going from the vanguard to the van (the blue one), but not without a fight.
Even the KNOB* turned out to entertain the troops
We passed Fortis Bank which had been less than helpful to me last year when I was looking for a mortgage, and I lost it completely. I threw a crumpled up tissue at their window in rage. That'll teach them. My "girls" cheered and followed suit, with a hail of powder puffs. The police stood by, smoking, as the female impersonators fell off their platform shoes in an attempt to get themselves arrested.
My feet are killing me now. And I've been booked to head up Gay Pride tomorrow.
* Kurt Nachtnebel Oompah Band
Unfortunately I was not quick enough to avoid what sounded like a samba school coming down the street shouting, blowing whistles and banging things, all of them dressed in red bin bags. I scuttled on down the street to try and get out of their way but pulled up short at the realization that I was going away from my office. As I dithered in the middle of the road the shuffling throng closed in on me, and the next thing I knew someone had stuck a flag in my hand and linked arms, and suddenly I'm leading a protest! I tried to explain that I was mildly Liberal Democrat with a hint of light Green by political inclination, but they weren't having any of it. "You can lead the rainbow faction - come on girls, all behind the gay umbrella!". I found myself heading up the "LGTB" division of SETCA. consisting mostly of hairdressers, airline stewards and female impersonators. Behind us were the sex workers, demanding "decent work". Sometimes, you know, it's just best to keep quiet.
Some friendly female impersonatorsWell, when in a tight spot, my solution has always been to go with the flow. So I joined in with the chanting, which went along the lines of "Death to bankers, they're all wankers, we're only here for the beer!" and "Down with IT ALL". After a while I found I was enjoying myself. It was quite liberating to shout in the street, as any bag lady could tell you. I was transported back to the heady days in Paris a few years ago when Vi Hornblower and I re-enacted May 1968 with shopping bags in place of Molotov cocktails, and ended up going from the vanguard to the van (the blue one), but not without a fight.
Even the KNOB* turned out to entertain the troopsWe passed Fortis Bank which had been less than helpful to me last year when I was looking for a mortgage, and I lost it completely. I threw a crumpled up tissue at their window in rage. That'll teach them. My "girls" cheered and followed suit, with a hail of powder puffs. The police stood by, smoking, as the female impersonators fell off their platform shoes in an attempt to get themselves arrested.
My feet are killing me now. And I've been booked to head up Gay Pride tomorrow.
* Kurt Nachtnebel Oompah Band
17 comments:
Lady Daphne, I have always known you were a natural leader! They took one look at you and thought "She's Boudicca plus Sybil Fawlty with a hint of Dame Edna Everage". I do hope those sex workers got a decent work-over.
I know I'm out of practice with these things but the female impersonators in the first photo look a bit rough even by Lanashire standards.
Wonderful, Daffers. Come out here, Ortega could learn a thing or two about real demonstrators and not hired thugs bussed in from El Salvador...
Splendid, it reminds me of that scene from Modern Times where Chaplin picks up a red flag that's fallen from a truck and finds himself leading a communist march.
I hope the government gives in to their demands, and I imagine that female impersonators can be very demanding.
You made a head-dress from your umbrella? Now that's style.
Oh what fun. I remember joining in the exuberant celebrations in the US after Obama's win. There is something about getting caught up in the moment. And you certainly showed Fortis, too. That will learn them. These days, they should be asking you for a loan, anyway.
"No Passarane"
Le pébroc met à l'abri d'un pépin ,ça m'épate !! ( pébroc ,pépin ou riflard ; accessoire portatif constitué par un manche et une étoffe imperméable tendue sur une armature pliante...)
Et avec le chose rouge orange ...!? Belle comme le Papaver nudicaule ,à ravir !
Go girlfriend!
[Watching Eurovision -we're doing rather well for a change]
Sx
Of coursed they grabbed you. They always need the fashionable beauties out front. I myself would follow you anywhere!
You wear your scarf with great panache. I'm happy to say:)
GB, you've captured me to a T. Perhaps a soupçon of Peggy Mount in there, too?
Kev, it would take some serious foundation garments to turn that lot into the Spice Girls.
Aunty, what ever happened to the Contras? Did they sign for another label?
Gadj, let that be a lesson to me, I should have ducked back into Body Shop until the crowd had passed.
Lycus, years of watching Blue Peter have paid off in the end.
Lydia, welcome to Belgium, where they practice recreational strike action.
Crabbers, yo soy la Pasionaria de Bruselas!
Scarlet, I confess I didn't watch it. Without the half naked flamenco dancers there didn't seem to be much point. Did I miss anything?
Beverley, I am the Joanna Lumley of the Down With It All movement.
Pat, would that I'd been able to wear that bin bag with panache.
Un p'tit coin d'parapluie
Contre un coin d'paradis
Elle avait quelque chos' d'un ange
I've never been on a demonstration march, not even by accident. Mind you, if someone wanted to do some kind of Health Service demo, I'd happily be wheeled about in a bed
incredible, sugar! y'all have such steel! xoxox
Your feet are sore? Demand a float for the Gay Pride, then you can lead in style
A baseball cap, your ladyship?
Now that was a bit unexpected!
:D
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