She Wore Red

The sign on the door said, "Welcome to Fabulous Sin City". I thought, oh, dear God, what am I doing here?

But anything that gives you license to wear rhinstones, I say, why not? It was a black and white semi-formal event. Pre-Chicago-MFA days I was always running around town going to galas and clubs and Parties, events where I could meticulously craft an outfit, but since then my connections have tempered or dulled- into a toxic combination of hermitage and I'm only almost 30. So having nary a job or funds, more critically, to do anything about anything, let alone celebrate my birthday in style, I have to live vicariously. The outfit ensamblage (a top)for this event alone maxed a credit card and that's without a manicure and new shoes. DamnIT. Social events are taxing.

Things like this are always tricky too- it's that terrifying "unknown" on oneside and conjecture on the other- of: I don't know anyone and what the hell am I in for really? Her people are not my people, but still, there's that nagging that I should be adventurous and celebrate somebody's birthday in style, so why not hers. And then the next question is why black/white? If I were dabbling in the upper classes I would think there might be a legitimate reason, but lingering as most of us are in the abyss of the middle class, it had to be something else.

I was met at the door by the lady herself, gregarious, and wearing red- and practically nothing else- if you take my meaning. Sin City, indeed.

She says, I didn't think you'd come. I knew she (Lucy Liu) would come, but I didn't think you would come. I'm so glad you came.

To preface my trip down the rabbit hole, SWR and I have known each other since- practically kindergarten. I know her mom, as many run-ins at Costco will attest, and we went to school k-12. Alas, she was always, and I stress always popular- From even 4th grade I remember a vague interest in who she was dating, what was going on, like a prime reality tv experience. Into HighSchool and her cheerleading self, it didn't change. I had the oblivious ability to be personable to all social strata and so when I met her again at the 10year reunion- she let out a belting MENDACIOUS!- and I smiled with a familiarity that one has with long lost friends, drinking buddies, and distant cousins. I had dinner with her sometime after and she's made an attempt since to include me- that I can't snub. The quote that tipifies her relation to me was, "in high school i didn't understand you," which leads me to believe that perhaps she gets me now.

SO when the invitation came in the MAIL and the evite arrived later how could I possibly refuse- not only for the social excavation, but because we all need to party and meet new people. I dressed in black, put on some jewels (which were raved about by the way!) and arrived fashionably late. The only major hesitation was that some other people from high school were going to be there and then there's that reunion type awkward tension of running into people you have nothing to say to:

Run in #1: (Brunette, 5'5. Blue eyeshadow, straight brown hair.) She saw me as I came in and fled outside. (The girl at the reunion who puked all over the floor.) I can't decide if she really has a distaste for me or she's shy... SWR's mom pointed out that she was there- mom has no idea that the social circle of SWR did not on any regular basis include me. But to Brunette's credit she came up and gave me a polite hug and ran away again- later on my 3rd drink i told her she had a nice skirt, she said, oh thanks- fled, and i kept mixing my rum and coke.

Run in #2: This girl was always a bit quirky- but I loved her at video parties I threw and all nighters. Post highschool i dropped the ball on correspondance, at least i'm pretty sure- then she blew me off at the reunion, which you know puzzled me- cuz who blows me off? And I called her on it by saying, oh and I thought you were avoiding me all night. Escape. Escape. Escape. Think Lane (her family specifically) on GG meets just a wee dash of Kirk with oddly the now beauty and possible social grace of Lucy Liu. She explained her life in 10yrs like she shouldve at the reunion- and then -- explained her departure from Christianity to Metaphysics back to Christianity and now back to Metaphysics. Did I know my Rising Sign, Moon- What house is everything in? Hmm. I don't know. She literally turned and walked away from me like I hit the "turn the channel" button. I don't know if it was because I didn't know the house or the absurd turn the conversation had taken. Later I find out that she's been engaged twice and have been firmly told that I was probably never suspended in HighSchool bcs all the teachers loved me. You were the teachers favorite. Hmm curious. I'm still pondering this one. Current Drink: Sangria

Run in #3: BFF of SWR(Newport Beach, Realty, Blonde with 3tone high/low lights. A sparkling band of diamonds. Skin tight gold/black dress) Housewives of the REAL O.C. When introduced I realized she was the same fresh faced cheerleader Mom had pointed out to me in an old photograph upon entering. While gorgeous and perhaps closest to my upclass Barbie, she was wry and contemplative, and I would never have recognized her. She tells me that she's been married for 2 years and is headed for divorce. Was she serious? Yes. Did he have enough drive? No. Had they grown apart and become two different people? Yes. There were so many things to inject into such a topic but I felt remiss to do it at a party. It's like back at Halloween when a friend of a friend tells me her brother committed suicide and the ugly relatives on the otherside say he's going to hell. There are people like that, i'm not like that- but what is one to say? Maybe I'm just a recepticle for these sorts of indulgances but still, I'm only an hour into the party at this point. Current Drink: 2nd helping of Sangria

Run in #4: Was sometime later- the brother. Very cute. Very personable. Not nearly as wild as his sister SWR. We reminisce politely about k-12 together- keeping to topics like recess and school scandals, like teacher affairs, cocaine addictions, and of course my favorite- when our favorite polisci teacher slept with his student a year after getting "The Teacher of the Year" plaque. As Brother states, I chipped in 5 bucks for that! but Lucy Liu joins us and suddenly the conversation is about his relationship and commitment phobias and how much money he makes as a mortgage broker- meanwhile i'm suggesting early retirement and downsizing his 80 hour work week- I don't care if he owns 3 houses. Current Drink: Cranberry/Vodka

Respectively, my married date Brian leans into me with his arm around my waist and says, what's your story- After I tell him in very general terms- he kisses me on the cheek and says, you'll find somebody. It'll happen just like that. (He's lovesick which explains his optimism, his 5th anniversary and the alcohol). After he hand feeds me some chocolate covered strawberries, we head up to play pool and in my head I think Brother never gets to play pool on this spankin new table he owns with the two corner tv mounts, bcs he works too much. Now the back story on my date is that we arrived about a minute from one another- as he says, "I saw you in your car I think, as I drove up in my Explorer- and you were doing whatever." Whatever- was trying to take a picture of myself with my cameraphone- and i kept turning off the dome light bcs i didn't want to appear strange and vain. That didn't work. He says, "I can tell your a good person." "Thanks I say. So SWR sees us together and says, You came together. Yes. Yes we did. "Mendacious, this is the man who got me fired!" "What," I say?! "Don't tell people that," Brian pleads. I shake my head and look disappointed. Later when we're playing blackjack another attached boy named Royce gives me a few extra black chips and Brian brings me a Rum/Coke- explaining, don't worry there's no GHB in it. And I say, thanks. I'm grateful. And mental note: I didn't even think about it.

So around 2 I've heard everything about everything. We've sung SWR happy birthday. Somebody's peed on the floor of the bathroom. The red/black balloons are sinking to the floor and about half are dancing around the tables. The Dj is playing 99 Luftballoons and I think how appropriate. I loose my last game of pool. I say goodbye and get a kiss from Brian. I tell Brother goodbye. Trying not to fall in the pool. I switch to water and tell Mom we should get together. SWR and BFF sing out my name and wave as they disappear down the hall- and as I tread carefully down the stairs, taking the last bits of bruschetta and shrimp (for protein) with me, the fog from the machine envelops me as I make a quick dash to the door- down the nicely paved sidewalks and houses that are much too uniform and into my car- with a particularly wry smile~ but by God it was worth it.