.
As evening deepened and progressed through dusk into twilight, we looked at each other and smiled Cheshire cat smiles. "It is time," we said to each other.
.
I enveloped myself in a cloud of dark sequins and stepped into my matching beaded slippers. On the railway journey, champagne corks popped as spirits ran high. At the last possible moment, I tied on my black velvet cat's eye mask which was studded with gloriously colored rhinestones. We had arrived at the greatest masquerade party on the earth.
.
I took my place amongst queens and he amongst the kings passing for 'normal'. We reveled with imps and devils, fairies and demons, pixies and black cats. There were tons of rabbits. Had I been Alice, I would never have know which White Rabbit I was to follow. A troupe of male angels descended straight from Heaven; they were so beautiful, I nearly fainted. I thought I had died and gone to Heaven. Coming out of my swoon, I poked my Consort and had to remind him that all the nurses, with all the garter belts, were not there to 'revive' him.
.
He is still saying, "But one of them didn't have any underwear on! Her little white skirt was up around her waist and she had no underwear on!" I look at him, I glance at my voluminous skirts which brush the tops of one of my many pairs of beaded slippers, I say, "Do I really care if her snatch gets cold? I do not. You should not care either. The other person at the party who told you, 'Do not be looking at that. That will get you into a world of hurt.' Gave you very good advice. I think you should listen."
.
We frolicked and frenzied and partied galore. Millions of masked rabblerousers partied with us. We laughed. Everyone laughed. For one evening, capes billowed and the entire City rang with laughter. Just the way I like it.
.
At some point it rained. Under the gentle balmy mist, gentlemen opened umbrellas for the ladies. The party continued on the closed cobble stoned tree lined streets beneath the umbrellas. It rained harder. The party continued. The laughter continued. After all, it was only water. Everyone became soaked to the bone.
.
We travelled home that way: wet and weary, satyred-out and satiated. Still laughing. How could one not laugh as one gazed at our towns person wrapped in a homemade garment of pieced together brown and black teddy bear fur? There was one soaking wet fuzzy black booty and one soaking wet brown fuzzy booty. He said, "It's supposed to be: 'Clan of the Cave Bear'." I said, "I know what it's supposed to be." I said, "I am surprised that you know what it is supposed to be and that you know what it is made out of."
.
He laughed as I smoothed my black velvet mask. I said, "What is the problem? I am getting it ready for next year..."
