I could see that my wife's friend, a divorcee who was almost ten years younger than ourselves, felt quite out of place at The Plastic Panties Ladies' Annual Raffle Event. She was avoiding eye contact whilst sitting restless in one of the chairs. The other ladies, including my wife, were talking and laughing to the chink of teacups on saucers and the smell of instant coffee. Ethel was passing around a plate of biscuits. She was making her usual 'Carry-On' lewd jokes to several winks, giggles and the odd elbow.
The raffle tickets were almost folded and shaken in the hat. It wasn't really a hat. We used an empty sweets tub as one. The prizes had been numbered and lavishly arranged on the table behind me.
I felt quite 'out of place' as the only man at The Church Hall event. I also felt somewhat honoured to be asked. I checked that all the toiletries, biscuits, sweets and cosmetics had all their winning numbers again. Then I cleared my throat.
"Ladies. Ladies, may I have your attention, please?"
Ethel was still wandering like Mother Hen. I repeated my request louder. The hustle and bustle subsided as tickets were fished from handbags. A hushed sense of anticipation filled the silenced air.
"Thank you. Well, I think it's time to draw the numbers," I smiled.