Friday Flashback Part 3

The Dinner Party - Episode 3

Five albums and 3 joints later, I was trying to get my sixth glass of wine down. Apart from the fact that I couldn’t stand up without difficulty and the room was in a haze, I felt nothing.

Marc thought they should get going. Mel’s sister was due home soon and they had a fair trek home. Mel went out to start the car. Marc followed her. I cringed. Alex poured me a fresh glass of wine. I gagged on the first sip. He sat beside me now on the love seat. To my amazement, he began rubbing his foot up and down my leg. It was absolutely absurd and inside my head I was laughing hysterically.

Mel and Marc came back in the room. He sat on the bar stool. I asked Mel, “Can I talk to you for a minute?” She followed me into the front room where I recounted the bizarre episode with Alex. She literally fell on the floor laughing. We were not quiet.

When we returned and sat down, it appeared that Marc was signaling to Alex to make another move on me. I glared at Marc and held his gaze until he was forced to look away. I loved making him uncomfortable.

Mel made me a whopping vodka and orange juice. It was in a highball glass and it was strong enough to knock out an elephant. It took me a long time to drink it.

By this time, we were listening to DEVO full blast. It was 2:00 a.m. I finished the screwdriver and staggered upstairs to the washroom. I stumbled back downstairs and plopped on the love seat beside Alex. Marc sat on the bar stool with Mel propped on his lap. Suddenly, she slid down and moved over to one of the deep, comfy chairs. Marc said, “Is there room enough for two?” Mel inched her butt over. Marc eased his way in. I saw his arm coil around her like a cunning boa constrictor and then it hit me. A wave of euphoria engulfed my exhausted brain. Everything was hilarious. Someone was moving their hand up my leg and I thought it was the funniest thing possible. I was being crushed by what felt like a duffel bag of dirty laundry and a camel was kissing me on the mouth. I didn’t care what it was. It felt nice and soft and comfortable. I was sooo sleepy.

I came out of my daze with a jolt when I felt a movement above my thigh and frantic fumbling with my zipper. With an effort, I pushed the sack off of me, lifted myself up and attempted to adjust my clothes. When I turned around, my seducer was asleep and there was no sign of Mel or Marc, so I made my way over to the kitchen, got a piece of pie and somehow managed to make some coffee. When it was ready, I went down some stairs off of the kitchen to a small room in the basement and turned on a rather ancient TV. I remember thinking how ironic it was that the only show still on at 2:30 a.m. was The Dating Game. I watched it all and answered every question. Out loud. The coffee was working.

At 3:00 I went upstairs, put on my flannel nightgown, brushed my teeth and took out my contac lenses. Then I crawled into the bed in Mel’s folks’ room. I slept fitfully. The clock radio read 4:58 when I heard the tap running. The heavy door brushed across the thick pile carpet with a shhhh sound and a ray of light hit my face. Without warning, the covers were whisked back and Mel hissed, “Where’s Alex?” I hissed back, “Well, he sure as hell’s not here! Do you think I’m crazy?”

Mel jumped into the bed. I had a million questions: “What happened? Where have you been? Where’s Marc? You didn’t let him…?”, I asked excitedly.

Mel whispered, “Shh! He’s asleep in my room. Where’s Alex?”

It was all too much for my stoned mind to handle. I burst out in hysterics, crying over and over, “You mean…Alex and Marc are…You mean. Crashed here? In your room? Oh my God! Oh! Melanie!”

She shoved my head into the pillow and I laughed like a loon for a good two minutes.

The real story was even funnier.

Subscribe to Poetikat's Invisible Keepsakes