“I don’t care if a guy has money”, says she, a scarlet temptress..
A friend and I laughed so hard we almost spilled our booze. The atmosphere transformed from one of laughter to one of insanity not long after that.
A person can observe more of the good and bad bits of humanity in an hour at a party than they can in a week on the streets. I attended a huge party this past weekend, celebrating Memorial Day. I laughed more in an hour than I probably have in a month. Watching people fall down in a drunken stupor is quite hilarious. I am old enough and wise enough to know my limits.
Parties evolve in layers. The first layer is one of welcoming each other to the party, finding the secret stash of booze and food. The second layer is one of happiness and hilarity when everyone starts loosening up and telling stories from the past. The third is one of hilarity and telling secrets that should not be told. The forth is a layer of watching the lightweights pass out in their own vomit and laughing about it. The fifth is one of seriousness and solidarity, when people really show their true colours.
I spent most of the evening talking to different people, trying to catch up on who was doing who. One woman with blonde hair glistening in the moonlight caught my eye as she approached the house from the dock sitting so elegantly in the still water.
“Please excuse my hair…It’s a mess”, she said with an enormous smile, as she bundled it into a ponytail.
“You look great anytime, girl”, I said while grinning from ear to ear. (Mind you, in the Southern US, we call a woman a girl until she’s old and wrinkled.)
She giggled and tried to cover her smile.
“I’m in my “”I don’t give a damn, I’m at the lake”” outfit”, I laughingly muttered whilst pointing at my torn denims and T-shirt.
She laughed again.
As I was about to say something quite cunning, Scarlet (That’s what I’ll call her.) poked me in the back.
“Hey, it’s your turn for shots, JD”, Scarlet said, as she weaved her drunken way back up the path.
“IS she…?”
“No, she’s dating a friend of mine”, I muttered with a bit of a jocular tone.
“Good thing it’s not you, she looks bossy”, said she with a big smile.
“Are you here with…?”
“I’m flying solo tonight, (Name withheld out of respect.)”, I said with a bigger smile.
About the time I was going to ask her if she wanted a drink, a few blokes came up from the dock.
One of them playfully grabbed her by the arm, and asked, “Who is this?”
“This is JD…We’ve known each other for ages”, she muttered with a bit of trepidation.
“Well, I better get up there before Scarlet comes back and drags me back”, I mumbled whilst making my way back up the path.
I turned around and she gave me that “save me from these idiots” look, but I was angry that she came with someone else so I continued up to the party. We crossed glances a few more times before she left with the idiots to go to yet another party.
A mate of mine kept pushing Scarlet to do more shots. I caught him throwing good Grey Goose into a flower pot while she wasn’t looking. I knew what he was up to, but I’d never do anything like that. Of course, I have values and morals that keep me from doing a lot of things. As much as I hate them sometimes, they do keep me out of trouble and out of the emergency room.
As the night grew longer, Scarlet slurred more and began saying things that a woman of any age should not say. I was not sober but far from drunk, so I did my best to keep her from doing something she’d regret. I went outside and told my friend, her boyfriend, that he needed to take her upstairs before she did something stupid. He enquired as to what we be so stupid. I didn’t have to say anything, nor would I. He went in and a few minutes later she was barfing and finally went to sleep. The ambiance was far from tranquil as I perused the yard, poking passed out people, trying to get them to go inside.
I sat in the darkness at the waters edge, enjoying the sweet sound of peace and the occasional splash of a bass breaking the waters still surface. I went to my beloved car and scribed two poems. Eventually, I passed out in the Beetle.
The next morning, I awoke to a crisp sunrise and people snoring. When Scarlet finally got up, I didn’t get a thank you, but I didn’t expect one. People rarely remember the stupid shite they do when they are legless. Sometimes I get sick and tired of being everyone’s big brother, but it does have its rewards.
It is not my intention to imply upon the reader that parties are bad or that drinking is bad. I had a blast and will do it again. But, there are some undertones that could use some discussion. I wish I could go into more detail about Scarlet and the other woman, but I do not betray peoples trust. And, no crimes were committed thanks to yours truly. Watch how much you drink and keep those you care about close to you. And, for the love of God, if you are crazy about someone, let them know. They may feel the same way. At least you’ll know one way or the other. Learn from me, a rover, and I’ll learn from you.
