The Legs of Ballies Post #14

As I have said in some of my earlier posts, it didn’t take long living in Mobile for the locals to tell me about Mardi Gras; perhaps a few hours. Along with hearing about the parades, were stories of the balls, a concept that seemed so foreign to my Yankee experience. Perhaps that is because, during ‘Ball’ season (otherwise known as Mardi Gras) here, is hibernation season in the colder climates. The cold weather in the north drives people in doors for months on end. There are occasional balls in Upstate New York, but they are typically large fundraisers and cost about $250 a person, and I guarantee, they are no where close to being as fun as a Mardi Gras ball! As a matter of fact, I’ve heard they are quite ‘stiff’.

In Mobile, however, the balls encompass all that life has to offer, such as gaudy, glittery, blingy clothing and jewelry, royalty, all wrapped around the theme that each society chooses for that years parade and ball. And this is regardless of the size of the ‘Ballies’. Ballies is a name I made up for anyone who goes to the balls, be they a society member in costume, or a guest in formal wear, male or female.

Each ball has it’s ‘call-outs’/tableau where members of the Mardi Gras society, in full costume, are debuted to the non-member Ballies. These societies hold monthly meetings and have parties, dinners and events throughout the year, however, they live for their parade and ball – which are on the same night if it is a parading society. The first time we experienced the ball call-outs, it reminded me more of a Broadway production, only the actors were everyday people whom we live and work among. That’s what is so fascinating in Mardi Gras – is the fact that nearly everyone can have a shining moment! Their fat day in the sun!

Speaking of fat, there is something else I noticed about these parades, balls, and call-outs! It doesn't matter what size a person is, women are privy to wearing a skimpy costume just like anyone else, be it a Vegas showgirl style, or circus trapeze body suit. You see, in the north, overweight woman who dare to show their thighs, arms, or legs in public, are often the brunt of dirty looks, rude comments, and even laughing and jeering. I’m not necessarily a fat woman, but I don’t fall on the skinny side either. In New York, my legs -–which look more like hams – should they dare to don a mini skirt and take a stroll down the street, would more than likely be followed by a string of off-handed comments and jokes.

Not in Mobile, or at least, not during Mardi Gras! You could be 500 pounds and southern men will still open the door and smile at you, making you think you could compete with Sandra Bullock in Miss. Congeniality! It was at our 2nd ball, an extremely large one, when I got looking around at all the woman in costume and noticed something. Their legs! Lots of legs walking, dancing, and shaking around! These women know how to ‘shake a leg’! And some of these legs certainly shake more than others! There are short legs, long legs, thick legs, thin legs, jello legs, chicken legs, bull dog legs, thumb legs, pinky legs, pinky toe legs, and even big toe legs! Some are dimply, some are plain! Some are veiny, and some are smooth. Some are pasty, some wear fake tans! Society Ballie legs don short skirts, go-go boots, high heals, sparkles, bling, and any other outlandish thing one can think of! And all of these legs dance! They dance alone on stage as they make their call-outs debut! They dance in groups, they dance nice, some dance naughty! They dance gracefully, and some not so gracefully! The bottom line is, these legs dance! Fat, skinny, short, tall, straight or bent, they all dance!

I think of the years that my very own legs have held me hostage! These legs talk to me constantly, whispering instructions in my ears! “No skirts higher than just above the knees!” “Definitely must wear a swim suit cover!” “Be sure to choose clothing that minimizes the upper thighs!” “Uhhhh!! Knee fat!!” “Geez! Boney ankles!” “Crap! More Cellulite!” “Uh Oh! Call Dr. Michael Lyons - 911! Must get lipo!!! Now!” These legs are quite the talkers, they are. But here in Mobile, particularly at the balls, my legs have met many new legs! The new legs talk much, much louder than mine! They sing leg songs to my legs like, “These legs are made for dancing! And that’s just what they’ll do! These legs will just keep dancing, as long as they are able to!"

At some point, we will visit New York again. And you can bet, my legs will dictate much of what I wear and how I behave. However, the older I get, the more I realize how short life really is. I think of the many years of dancing my legs have missed, simply because they were too embarrassed to be seen. I think of my leg’s new Mardi Gras leg friends and of all the years they have danced, paraded, showed themselves off, right up to the butts! Various sized and shaped legs waving various sized and shaped butts in the air, as though they are flying flags of freedom! And perhaps they are!

But life is too short to allow my legs to tell me how to live! We’ve all heard the saying, “Dance like no one is watching!” I think of all the legs' Ballie's and how brave they are to don them regardless of their shape and size. I marvel at the fun they are having, that which I, like many northerners, have never allowed myself to have. The cost of dignity is a high price when one becomes the brunt of rudeness for wearing shorts on a roasting, hot, day simply because he/she is overweight. Or when people won’t dance simply because they fear they won’t look good. Today, I make myself a promise! When life hand me an opportunity to dance, these hams are gonna dance!