the "helping out" part was how i found myself cross-legged on the floor of a surplus store in downtown Davao, wading through the shining, shimmering, splendid blues and greens of about a million peacock feathers.
i needed 130 of the almost-surreal plumes that Joan wants to decorate the wedding invites with.
choosing the tenth feather, i just had to ask the saleslady how long i had before the shop closed. two hours. decent.i considered the two tall baskets in front of me and realized that peacock feathers, like most things beautiful, are fragile. each of the feathers had to be examined for damages.
the shaft is a cross between plastic and very flimsy bamboo, and is very breakable, the feathers velvety and iridescent, and the "eye" at the tip a most amazing metallic blue.
call me silly, but i remember the prettiest feathers i picked: choice # 64, 67, and 94.
it was really rather sad that i couldn't think too much as i handpicked all 130 plumes. besides evaluating each of them, i also had to keep a mental count (which i kept losing anyway). the thoughts i would have had. i managed a few though:
...cool of joan to think of peacock feathers to fasten the invites with. talk about flair.
...of course, if any birds at all were harmed in the gathering of these dreamy feathers. (i read somewhere that peacocks shed them, so no.)
...if anyone's ever thought of a peacock-inspired wedding. most probably.
i think i'd want one. peacock feathers not only on the invites but on the dresses too. peacock feathers for corsages and bouquets. peacock feathers instead of tulips or long-stemmed roses. and feather girls instead of flower ones.
dreamy.
but nah. i think i'll just buy two hundred peacock feathers and skip the entire wedding idea, then buy books and fruit tarts with the money i'd save.
