I nodded and headed toward the dressing room. I saw Rose and the saleslady talking almost excitedly. When I was dressed and had gathered all the costume clothing, the two were back at the counter waiting on me. I am just slow. I nearly gagged when the sales clerk rang up the total. Those two costumes cost me more than I usually spend on clothes for a year. Rose patted me on the shoulder and assured me it would be worth it in the long run.
THe costumes wouldn't be ready until Friday, so we headed out to have lunch in town before returning home.
&&&&&
Saturday was a quiet day for me. I did go to the club and spent a little time in the fitness center. I am active enough to stay in reasonable shape when the weather permits. In the winter, I get on the treadmill or the stationary bike several times a week and work up a sweat.
Rose was busy with Carol and Betty at Carol and Bob's house getting things ready for the party. She still wasn't home when I returned from the club, so I went upstairs to shower and shave so I wouldn't occupy the bathroom when she got home.
I was out of the shower and downstairs in a robe when she came in. She stopped, kissed me quickly, and headed to get ready. I was sure, from experience, that I had a couple of hours before Rose would be ready. I fixed myself a sandwich and grabbed a can of soda. I headed to the den. I can catch the last part of the game.
I got to see the game, which was disappointing as my team managed to fumble the ball with less than 3 minutes to go. THe opposing team scored and put the game away. I took my dishes to the kitchen, put them into the sink, and decided to head upstairs and get ready.
It didn't take me long to get into my costume. A white undershirt stripped boxer shorts, and argyle socks with calf suspenders were first. I slipped on the white button-down shirt with a stiff collar. The shirt had been laundered, starched, and pressed. I slipped on the trousers, finding them perfect, and pulled the suspenders over my shoulders. I took the tie and moved to the mirror to knot it. The silk was soft and easy to work and formed a perfect knot. The suit coat went on, and I saw that the clerk had put a matching pocket square in the suit pocket. I looked at myself and thought that Bogart didn't have shit on me. I found the fedora, plunked in on my head at a rakish angle, and did my best Bograt impression.
"Here's lookin' at you, kid."
I slipped on the wingtips and pulled on the gray trenchcoat, flipping up the collar like Bogart. Except for my mustache and goatee, the image was complete. I wasn't shaving my face for any party of costume. I heard Rose from the bathroom.
"Get out of here. Go downstairs and wait. I don't want to spoil the surprise."
I gathered my pocket gear, which wasn't much for a night at the neighbor's house, and headed downstairs to wait. It was a rather long wait. I have learned patience simply by waiting on Rose. While I am 10 minutes early, no matter how much I urge her, hurry her up, or start her earlier, she is 10 minutes late. It's some sort of cosmic time thing that I don't understand.
Finally, I heard the bedroom door close and looked up the stairs. I saw Rose's feet first, clad in the period low heels. Her legs were stockinged, and the hem of the dress came down just below her knees. I saw the suit jacket and the white collared blouse as she descended. The blouse showed a hint of cleavage, but the way it was cut seemed to make her breasts more prominent. I didn't understand until later what was behind this phenomenon.
I saw her face last. She had fixed her hair almost the same way Bergman had worn hers in the movie. Atop her head was a hat nearly identical to the one from the movie. I stopped and whistled and then gave a catcall.
"Whoa, Mama. You are a sight to see."
She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and slowly turned, coming around a full circle to face me.
"Thank you, Sir."
I stuck out my elbow and spoke to her in my best Bogart drawl.
"Here's looking at you, kid."
When we arrived, almost everyone else was already at Bob and Carol's house. It was like walking into a movie lot. Everyone had gone all out on their costumes. I was glad we had spent the money on ours.
Bob came over and welcomed us. There was no mistaking who he and Carol had chosen as their movie couple. Bob looked like the notorious and roguish Rhett Butler from Gone with the Wind. Carol wore a replica of the green dress Scarlet wore in the movie, complete with the full petticoats. Even her long black hair recreated the curls made famous by Scarlett.
Just behind Bob and Carol, we found Barney and Betty. Barney made an imposing figure wearing a complete Roman centurion army uniform with the short toga, laced leather sandals, and a convincing-looking shortsword at his side. Carol captured the allure of Cleopatra. She replicated the blue gown Elizabeth Taylor wore in the movie. It displayed a fantastic amount of her cleavage with its scooped and keyhole neckline. As Betty was walking away, Jack only noticed later that the floor-length skirt, which appeared to be opaque when she stood still, was quite filmy and allowed the occasional glimpse of her legs up to her ample behind.
Standing off to one side, Rose and Jack found Matt, Kitty, Ted, and Alice near the bar. Matt was imposing at his height and girth, dressed as one of John Wayne's many cowboy characters. He had the hat and the six-gun, but I couldn't determine why he was carrying a small black shovel. When I saw Kitty beside him, I understood immediately.
With her red hair, Kitty looked a bit like Maureen O'Hara. In the 18th century underclothing, she looked even more so. I am a huge fan of the Wayne/O'Hara movies. In particular, the comedy Western McClintock has been one of my favorites. You must admit when Wayne chases O'Hara through the western town and finally pins her down on his lap to administer a sound spanking with the coal scoop. It is not only a great scene. It is sexy as hell.
Standing with Matt and Kitty, Ted and Alice had taken a little more modern turn. Ted had chosen to reprise the role of Han Solo from the Star Wars sagas. He wore the black vest, white shirt, and the ever-present blaster on his hip. Next to him, Alice evoked one of the most memorable scenes of the original Star Wars trilogy. Alice had opted for the barely there leather outfit that Princess Leia wore when captured by Jabba the Hut.
In the kitchen, we found Fred and Wilma. Fred wore simple black slacks and a pinstriped shirt open at the neck. On his head was a newsboy cap. Beside him stood Wilma, decked out in a slinky 30s sheath dress, complete with fringe and beads. She looked every bit the flapper, completing the image of Bonnie and Clyde.
That left only Kent and Lois. Rose finally found Lois sitting in the shadows in an oversized chair. Kent, as usual, was away on business, leaving Lois to go stag to the party. She wore a long red evening gown with a belt made of gold medallions. It was long-sleeved. I couldn't figure it out. Lois had smiled at me, standing and offering me her hand.
"Princess Buttercup. Are you the Dread Pirate Roberts?"
I understood at once."
I assume that if Kent were here, he would be Wesley."
"Of course."
Behind us, the party was getting started in earnest. The food was coming out, the bar was busy, and everyone was anxious to see what else Bob and Carol had planned for the evening.
&&&&&
I remember it was nearly 10 when Bob called everyone and announced that we would play a game. He then went on to explain the game and the rules.
"This is a form of strip poker. I tried to make it much simpler and faster so we don't spend all night. We will deal two cards to each person and then flip them. The low hand is the loser and must give up one clothing article. An article of clothing doesn't include shoes, socks, gloves, or anything else. It has to be a substantial piece of clothing. Oh. And the loser has to take a double shot of their choice of booze. We then do the whole thing again. We play until someone gets naked, or we all end up passed out drunk."
I listened and thought this was the most juvenile thing our group had come up with yet. But there didn't seem to be anyone else that was reluctant. Even Rose seemed a little excited at the prospects.
I decided to bite my tongue and go along. We all gathered around the dining table, and Bob shuffled the cards. He offered them to Ted, who cut them and handed them back. Don began to deal, placing two cards face down on the table in front of each of us. When everyone had two cards, he looked to his left at Carol.
"Ok. You start."
Everyone compared cards. It was quickly evident that Lois had the two lowest cards on the table, three of clubs and two of clubs. She took a deep breath. The only top clothing Lois wore was the red evening gown. She stood up and unzipped it, pulling it down off her shoulders and then past her hips to step out of. She laid it neatly on the back of a nearby chair and returned to her seat around the table. She was now clad in a beautiful red lace corset and matching red stockings. Bob looked her up and down and then asked.
What is your drink of choice?"
"Vodka."
He nodded and poured a double-shot glass full of the clear liquid. Lois took it from him and, without hesitation, tilted her head back and gulped the vodka in one shot. She handed the shot glass back to him with a smile.
Bob gathered the cards again, shuffled, and then dealt.