Lulu Came to Town (Part 2)

Early the following morning I walked into our Art Gallery and nearly jumped out of my shoes with fright, as I had forgotten that Lulu was sitting looking out the door.

I thought some huge person had somehow gained access to Beachcombers and sat herself down in our chair...I shrieked!

Graham came rushing downstairs to see what all the commotion was about and doubled up with laughter as I pointed at Lulu, explaining that I'd forgotten she was now in our lives.
My shriek had proved him right as far as he was concerned, “You see, I told you that lady was scary!”
Lulu just sat there gazing out the door, ignoring his rude jibbing indignantly .
As we were standing there, a car pulled up outside the Gallery. There was a man and woman sitting in the front, pointing at Lulu, laughing.
“He who laughs last laughs loudest,” was my quip at Graham as I walked off, feeling very pleased with myself.

Later on in the day I nipped into the local Greek Grocer to pick up supplies.
The lady behind the counter called out, “ Hey Sue, what's that giant doing sitting in your place?”
“Oh, that's Lulu, you like her?” I asked
“Wow, we were driving home last night and I couldn't believe what I saw. Thought is was you sitting at the door and realized that thing was huge and you are half the size!”
With that, other people in the store said they had also seen Lulu.
I overheard a couple talking, “Mad artists,” said the one to the other, thinking they were out of ear shot.
Oh joy, I thought, everyone in this small village has got something new to talk about, and it's my Lulu.
Lulu's come to town!

Two days before Christmas, Graham, and I moved Lulu out side, where she sat majestically staring at every vehicle, cyclist and jogger trekking up or down the very last road leading to the foot of Africa.
Already she was a crowd stopper. To our amusement she became a photo-shoot opportunity to many a passer by.
One lady even had her poodle sit on Lulu's lap for a pose. Before she could take a picture, the nasty little critter jumped off Lulu's lap, barking it's head off at her, cocked his leg and pee'd on Lulu's leg.
With the dignity of a well bred dame, Lulu chose to show no reaction and stared out at the ocean, whilst the lady hastily hustled her pooch away.

On the afternoon of the 24th December, 2010 Lulu arose out of her chair and we fixed her to one of Beachcombers deck supports. Sadly her hip broke as we moved her, so her legs went into paralysis. As it was now Christmas Eve, there was no time for me to perform a hip-replacement.
Lulu's legs had to be secured to the upright, avoiding unnecessary knee-bends.
Then we attached fishing line to her wrists, which led up to our sitting area on the deck, which became the “Lulu wave-at-holiday-maker command centre.”

As you may have surmised, Graham had by now taken rather an affectionate bent towards Lulu and was the first to pull her strings!
Our first victims were a group of ladies out on their evening stroll.
Graham had Lulu wave at them as they happened past...
Only one woman saw, looked away and back again.
Lulu waved.
The woman squealed and pointed.
Her friends jumped, Graham and I laughed until we nearly cried.
That was just the reaction I had wished for the public.
Lulu waved,
The ladies all waved back.
Then they all looked at each other, felt embarrassed because they were waving at a large puppet and they laughed.

Cars were stopping to have a look. Children in back seats were waving.
Joggers did not escape Lulu's sense of humour, with both her hands she imitated how they were running, when they saw this, they laughed.
Cyclists had the same thing happen, Lulu copied them, they laughed.

During the course of the Festive period right until the day after New Year, Lulu came alive in the late afternoons until late evening and waved away merrily.
She was constantly photographed.
Some people got a fright, some ran away, some nearly drove their cars off the road.
She occasionally caused traffic jams, but she always brought a reaction to people that left them feeling good.

Children came to see her, as word had spread that Lulu spoke to them.
She refused to speak to grown ups, only children.
They also found out that Lulu liked lolly-pops, because Lulu told them that she did.
So they brought her lolly-pops and Lulu always thanked them in her squeaky voice.
To Graham's and my delight, many of these children told Lulu secrets.
We became part of the innocent world of children's fresh ideas and wonderment.

What a Christmas gift Lulu had brought to us here at Beachcombers.
Lulu was magical.

Final part of story tomorrow.