She swishes over to Party Pink, hips swaying to the rhythm of her luminous pink hula skirt, “Hey girl, you wanna go to the parrrdeee?”
Barbie always speaks American.
Party Pink (aka Caitlyn) grabs her glitter sprinkles pink fur sash/hat/belt/boobtube and drapes it over her neck for emphasis, “Yarrr, that’s a cool idearrr. I have so many outfits to choose from. What will you wearrr?”
Hawaiian (aka Amy) puts on a thoughtful expression, “Well, I do like that wedding dress. Do you know where the parrrdeee is?”
Caitlyn raises her arm to her head, diamond glinting as a ray of sunlight peeps in on the moment, “Girl, you invited me, remember? Besides, you look really cool in that hula skirrrt.”
Amy shakes her head, “Yarrr, you’re right. I just thorrrt that, well, if Ken’s there then we can get married again.”
“Oooh I do love a wedding… but you had that steamy romance with Ken last month.”
“…Kate, I forgot to bring my Ken, shall we share yours?”
“Okay but how will we both marry him.”
“That’d be weird. Maybe they can all just play frisbee or something? It can be a beach party.”
“We did beach last time. Also, I really want to play with the wedding dress. Please?”
“Can’t Amy just play frisbee in the dress? Or maybe they can have a party at the mansion? You could borrow my silver belt to make it more disco?”
“Silver belt? Like, over the wedding dress?”
“Ya, then it’s like a really rad party dress that could also be a wedding dress, for a wedding.”
“Ken will be confused.”
“Haha, it will be funny. I wish I’d brought my Ken—can we take turns to be confused Ken?”
“Okay, but we need to try on dresses now! Amy and Caitlyn always take ages shopping and you’ll have to go home soon – boo.”
Hands swoop in.
“Amy, let’s go sharrrping and then try on all our dresses.”
“Yarrr. Although I still might wear the wedding dress.”
“We should still go sharrrping, right? No sharrrp, no parrrdeee.”
“Will Ken be there?”
“Yarrr, only one Ken though.”
“Hmm. Oh well, no weddings today then.”
Shop shop shop.
Chat chat chat.
Try on try on try on.
Amy parades down a wannabe runway, “Whaddaya think?”
“You look so rad. Do you like my new earrings…”
“You really should pierce your Barbie’s ears. Party Pink came with earrings but I pierced the others’ ears with a pin. I had to push really hard and it did squish their heads a bit but they popped back, and now I can stick my earrings in their ears!”
“Anj, my mom’s not going to give me a pin to pierce my Barbies’ ears. You’re bigger than me, remember?”
“That’s true. Maybe I can pierce your Barbies’ ears. Or we could play hairdresser again?”
“They’re amazing! I wish I had pierrrced earrrs.”
“It’s pretty sorrre when they do it actually. My head ached for days. When you’re bigger you can do it.”
“Yarrr. Well, lets get to the parrrdeee. Ken and the girrrls waiting for us.”
No matter what there was always the party.
Author & Storyteller: Andrea Zanin
Andrea is a writer, wife, mother and dreamer; also the author of this website. She moved to London in 2006 to earn £s, travel, see bands and buy 24-up Dr Martens—which she did, and then ended up staying. Andrea lives in North London with her husband (also a Saffa) and five children. She loves this grand old city but misses her home and wishes her children could say “lekker” (like a South African) and knew what a “khoki” is.
