I know it. It is common to all of us in this time of year. THE RECITAL!
Dance recital, guitar, gymnastics, skating performance, year-end recital…
IN SHORT, THE RECITAL!
It’s like a Friday night war. Fortunately there are only 4 Fridays per month! Leave out June, too easy for instructors and teachers, Fridays from late April to late May are no longer yours; all already engaged in some gym, theater or hall in school or nursery.
YOUR CHILDREN SING!
DANCE!
PLAY!
What do you do? Don’t you go to see them?
AND THEN LET’S GO.
Like little industrious ants, we jump in our car, we load brothers, little brothers, bags, little bags and we get there.
First obstacle: THE PARKING!
You’re not the only one willing to see your son! In a parking space that usually accepts no more than 20 places, now there are 1,000 ones!
Aunt, grandfather, grandmother, grandchildren, and the poodle get out of the car. And you? Although you did your best this year there is always half the world that has gone before you …..
And it doesn’t end here!
After having settled your car, now your butt has to be settled: WHERE TO PLACE IT FOR THE NEXT THREE HOURS?
You have been queing for half an hour to get to the glass door of the gym. And you already know what awaits you inside: the queue at table full of tutus, backpack, clothing or water bottles; the queue at the sandwich bar (who has had time to eat!) and at the coffee machine, that one at the bathroom for the pee of the little brother; the queue for the usual pictures.
And all this without knowing exactly when will YOUR SON OR YOUR DAUGHTER jump out of the changing room to get on stage. Right in that moment, the problem becomes serious:
WHERE IS YOUR DAUGHTER?
Lights cut off, loud music, the ballet begins and all the children….wear clothes! Blue, pink, red, clothes maybe with a hat, a mask, with some make up!
Everyone is moving, everyone is turning, everybody is dancing! BUT WHICH IS YOUR DAUGHTER?
With the camera zooming in circles like a madman: a ponytail, a shoe, a bracelet … well, a clue of where the protagonist of your zooming has gone…
DONE!
And you pray that your wide angle camera did a good job, shooting your child in a great feat!
Because then, at home, you will be asked: did you see me? Did you do? Did you shoot?
Well, at home!
But when?
Now you have to do it all backwards: bathroom, bar, tables with tutus, glass door, parking …
CHEER UP! YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
NEXT TIME …… IT WILL BE IN ONE YEAR ONLY!
Nicla Signorelli]]>
