Murphy – It’s not often that folks stop, stare and blatantly make faces at other people, but on Dec. 16 that’s exactly what happened to a couple of local women.
Cherokee Scout humor columnist and Staff Correspondent Anngee Quinones-Belian, along with Cherokee County Commissioner Jan Griggs, stood still for several hours as passersby stopped and gazed at the duo standing still in the storefront window of Marketplace Antiques downtown.
It started as a way to simply add a bit of fun to the Christmas shopping season during December.
When Quinones-Belian asked store owner Deni Graves if she could stand in her store window and act as a living mannequin last year, Graves was excited about the idea – after all, it was creative marketing for the antique shop. It was received well by customers, some who had a hard time believing anyone could stand so still in the face of others staring back.
Graves invited Quinones-Belian back, and this year she brought with her Griggs, which was kept a secret until showtime.
The two watched as folks walked passed them by, some unaware of their presence as living mannequins in the window before them. Others would stop and laugh, point and attempt to make the two move by doing a variety of silly things such as jumping up and down and making faces.
One person even pretended to moon the ladies, but the pair continued to remain still without laughing.
Folks were heard saying such things as, “They’re really good,” and “I think I saw her move her hand” as well as, “Oh my gosh, they’re real!”
There were times when they would take a break to drink water, stretch, laugh and switch their pose. Perhaps this fun tradition will continue each year, bringing a smile to the faces of those who stop and stare.