Fashion Show

Justin was in a fashion show a few weeks ago. The Church here hosts a Christmas tea and they spoke to a local children's clothing store about doing a fashion show. It was a perfect set-up, really. All the yiayias pay for their tea (fundraiser for the church) and watch their grandchildren look adorable in cute little clothes, then the cute little Christmas clothes are a really easy sell for the clothing store. I don't know what kind of trade they did but it ought to have been brisk.
Justin was also asked to participate and they gave him an adorable little pair of red and green plaid pajamas. He was to accompany a little girl, slightly older, wearing matching pajamas. She would help him down the runway, since he obviously would have no idea what to do. I didn't know the little girl but I hoped for the best. Justin's general reaction to meeting the female of the species is to allow his jaw to drop, his eyes to protrude slightly, and himself to follow the interesting little creature dumbly. Occasionally he tries to hug and kiss them. I didn't think he'd make much resistance to a two-and-a-half-year-old charmer trying to hold his hand and lead him about.
Unfortunately, in the event, the little charmer took one look at him and burst into tears. She was decidedly not interested. So we stood in line for their turn, parents and children jostling and trying to sort out who was going when, me just wondering what was going to happen.
Justin and Miss Pajamas were boosted onto the stage when their turn came, and the announcer gave their names and what they were wearing. Miss PJs headed off down the runway without a backward glance. She looked adorable. Justin walked just past the partitions dividing "backstage" from the audience and paused to watch all the people watching him. He's hardly unaccustomed to the limelight so it didn't make him nervous. He just didn't know what he was supposed to do. Fortunately, Presvytera Tina, who was coordinating the show, was standing nearby. She took his hand and, standing on the floor beside him, walked him down the runway and back. Everybody laughed and said he was adorable.
The problem came when he got back. Presvytera escorted him to that portion of the runway that was at the back, behind the dividers. At this juncture, however, Justin declined to get off the runway. He liked seeing the people, being seen, and being in the way of the other children coming and going. He likes other children. There ensued about five minutes of various mothers who were escorting their children to the stage trying to coax him to come to them, but Justin is generally leery of being picked up by people he doesn't know really, really well. I finally jostled my way to the edge of the stage and tried to collect him but he knew enough to stay out of my reach and meandered to the other side of the stage. I finally ran around to the other side, jostled up to the platform again, and snatched him before he was aware. Thus ended Justin's career as a runway model. If he is asked to participate again next year, I suppose I'll have to let him. But I'll come equipped with one of those long, hooked canes they used to use in vaudeville. I'm taking no chances.