On a gorgeous fall evening

Quinceañera.jpeg

Some years ago, this little gal wandered into the courtyard of an old hotel in a Mexican pueblo. I was on a bus tour to Copper Canyon, spending the night before we started the climb up and into the Canyon. It was a gorgeous fall evening, and I was sitting in the courtyard when she "drifted" in.

We smiled in greeting, and she sat on the steps. THEN I noticed her shoes...tennies!! Here she was in her Quinceañera gown, tiara, flowers, gorgeous hair, and tennis shoes! (The photographer was bringing her spike heels.) In my stilted Spanish, I told her how marvelously comical she looked and what fun it was that she could have a few moments of comfort before she dressed up for her pictures. So we laughed together! (She was no doubt laughing at my Spanish.) I asked if I could take her picture, and she agreed quickly, pointing to her tennis shoes, like, "Be sure to get THESE"!

Georgia Merz