On the 26th, the Curry's had a party. We were tired and full of food and drink and thought we wouldn't be too late at this particular party so I left Josie at Meg's, planning to pick her up on my way home. The party turned out to be one of those affairs in which you are having such a good time, you finally think to yourself "My, it must be getting close to 9:00, I should probably go get my child home to bed!" only to look at a clock and discover that nine came and went over three hours ago.
It took me a moment to get over my shock but then I realized one of two things must have happened; either Katie took Josie home where she was tucked into her bed sound asleep, or Katie did not take Josie home and therefore she was tucked into Meg's bed, sound asleep.
Either way it meant I didn't have to leave the party, so Yay!
Jay and I tend to be the folks who don't leave until long after the party is over. ON this occasion it wound up being us, the Curry's and another very nice couple whom I had not met before, sitting around the dining room table drinking Stag's Leap and discussing why the University of Minnesota will not hire Bobby Knight but wouldn't it be fun if they did? The conversation drifted into other areas, including business. It seems that "M", the third guy at the table, ran a company founded by his father. Jay was very interested in all aspects and asked "M" if his Dad had socialized with his employees. "M" said no, his Dad had not socialized and at this point "M"'s wife, "A" spoke up for the first time all evening.
"Yes he did." She said confidently. "I remember Marlowe playing charades in your parent's living room."
"Shut up!" M shot across the table at his heretofore mute wife. "You don't talk all night and then when you do it's to correct me in public?"
"Well, I remember Marlowe playing charades and why would he be doing that unless it was a party?"
"He never did that; you're wrong! You don't know what you're talking about you didn't even know Marlowe!"
"I did too! He worked for your Dad forever! Your Dad cried when Marlowe died, I was there!"
"You were NOT there! I can't believe you contradict me in public and then you say such stupid things!"
"I was too there! And I wouldn't contradict you if you didn't say things that I know ARE NOT TRUE!"
(If we were classy, polite people, we would've tactfully left the room and let the arguing couple duke it out in private, but instead we burst into gales of laughter and egged both parties on.
"It IS true! Dad never socialized with Marlowe and we have an agreement never to correct each other in public, you're supposed to wait til we get in the car!"
"But I remember Marolowe playing charades in your parents living room. Why would he have been playing charades unless it was some sort of party?"
"It couldn't have been Marlowe."
"It was! I remember Marlowe! I remember when he died I was at your folk's house and the ambulance went by and your Dad came in and he was crying..."
"What? When was this?"
"1984."
"Marlowe died in 1987!"
"He did NOT! I was there!"
"You were NOT THERE! He died in the fall of '87, I was playing baseball and you were out of town!"
"He died in 1984!"
"He did NOT DIE IN 84! I will bet you A HUNDRED DOLLARS that he died in '87!" At this point M jumped up, leaned across the table and stuck his hand out to his adamant wife.
"That's a bet!" she yelled, pumping her husband's hand.
Jay leapt to his feet and shouted "I got fifty bucks on her!"
"What? On
her?" M demanded. "Why?!"
"She's better lookin' than you." Jay explained.
"Yeah, but she's
wrong!" M countered. To settle the bet, Mrs. Curry hauled out her laptop to get to the bottom of the mystery. She began entering data and asked what town it all happened in.
Then A looked at her husband and said "Wait a minute, who are we talking about?"
I started to laugh so hard I thought I was going to wet my pants. Mr. Curry fell out of his chair.
"What!?" Jay looked from A to M. "I want out!"
"No way." M shook his head, "You put your money on her, you take your lumps."
A moment later, Mrs. Curry had the stats up on her screen; Mr. Marlowe died in October of 1987. M sat back, basking in validation. A looked at the info on the computer and frowned.
"1987?" she said. "I wasn't even around then; how should I know what happened?" She fished around in her purse and handed her husband $100.00. Then she looked at me and said "Who the hell was that playing charades?"
