The Party

Remember that 'fun' party I was invited to on Friday the 30th?
It was everything I thought it would be.
I brought some food which she was excited about.

As I stated in my blog post, it was her family and some neighbors.
I talked with the neighbors whom I don't care for. 
I then spoke to all in her family and just wanted to leave. 
Why not have some background music? Not loud, but something. 
Set an ambiance. This was too much of nothing. 

Her food all looked good. I couldn't eat anything except what I brought and that was fine. I had been on an eating frenzy since Thanksgiving for God's sake.

The neighbors all asked me about Izzy, funny not about why Rick wasn't there.
I chatted with the grandkids. One just moved to Denver. He told me how long it had taken him to not be sick from the altitude. We shared some Colorado altitude issues. Very nice young man.
But I just wanted to leave. Too soon? I felt it was. It's only been 20 minutes.   Ah, gonna be a long night. Why wasn't I drinking?

Karen asked me to tell the folks here about a story I had told her.
So I did repeat this story and everyone is laughing and I realize she invited me for the entertainment. Oh brother. The laughter was the only lively thing at this so-called party. But even after my story, it did make people talk about it and to me. So that was something I guess.

At one point in the evening, I was sitting on a step of the staircase imaging my escape. It was quiet. 4 people around the sofa and chairs chatting very quietly. The rest standing around the food. When there are so few people (13) it is difficult to "sneak out" 
Being on this step meant I was no longer a moving target and I was accosted by the neighbor Joe who I do not care for one tiny bit.

I won't repeat the things Rick calls him but let's just say that he is not holding a lot of common sense, a heart or empathy. Card carrying idiot. He kept asking me questions and I couldn't find a way out. Finally, his wife called him to the other side of the room to show him something one of the adult grandsons was showing her on the TV. Yippee! Because it was Joe he didn't excuse himself to go over there, he just turned and walked away. I was happy and oh so fine with that.

While Joe was in that corner, he put on a music channel from her TV so now there was at least some music in the background. Good for this redneck doing something for the greater good.
Now I saw this as my chance to escape.

I thanked Karen and told her I was going home. She said she'd bring my platter to me another day. No problem I know where you live I told her. She closed the door behind me and I RAN across the street to my home. 
I ran like I was being chased or that I knew I could be sucked back into her house amongst the living dead.

Rick was watching some awful testosterone on TV and paused it long enough to thank me again for taking one for the team. He owes me he tells me again. 
Yes, you do mister. It wasn't painful but close. Very nice people (except Joe and wife) but I am not certain they understand the definition of a party. You could have walked in and thought it was a wake. The wakes in my family are more fun and vibrant. Her one son just sat on the sofa in the corner and never moved or mingled. I went to him and chatted a bit. Rick thinks she asks me because I talk. Maybe. I think this poor woman would faint at an event with my family.

I am no Martha Stewart but there are things she could have done that would have helped set a better tone. MUSIC. Even if it is just something light played low in the background that would have made a difference. By the time Joe had it on I was leaving. But I am certain that helped. There are a lot of things I would hope she does different next year. Maybe when she asks me to come I can ask her if she wants help and suggest moving things around the house so everyone isn't just standing at an 8 ft island. Okay enough snark outta me.

This morning when I saw her outside with her dog I waved. 
She can't hear a lick so I don't say anything to her from this far away. Then I realized maybe that is why she doesn't put any music on in the background because she can't hear. We'll go with that. 😉

I am thankful that I don't have to do this again until next year.