"There is this 30 something woman who dressed herself up like one of the Spice Girls. I met her at the elevator. She was wearing this shining silver, sleeveless dress and she told me she insisted on being the party queen."
The winners, however, were a family of four. The mother wore a sunflower around her face because she liked the optimism implied by the flower. The grandfather dressed as a choo-choo train bound for Wonderland. The little boy became the birthday cake he coveted and the girl also came as a flower, with a photo of President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) pinned to her chest.
It was a sight that gratified Lai, as she watched people lose the trappings of their regular lives and immerse themselves in the fantasy of her creation. "Taipei citizens are a lot more fun loving, assertive and creative than they used to be," she says.
Most worthy of applause in the case of Lai is her ability to candidly reflect her inner world. It's a world that many people can identify with as nearly everyone has a fantasy world tucked deep inside.
"Bring your lunch box or just come for a nap," says Lai, who seemed quite at ease now after the catharsis of Wonderland. "It's time to have a break."
RSS