Thursday, December 5, 2013

Get Out My Seat!

I made two new friends last night! I had a great time visiting with seven wonderful people (including San Geraldo) at the holiday dinner. I didn't have much to do with the other hundred-plus, but the restaurant, the music, the energy, and the company were a pleasure. Of course, we were at the best table — Ann (aka Slushee) and her husband Darren (the chef at Sandpiper); Fran and Chris (who run Cafe Manila); and Fay and Fred, another warm, kind, interesting, and charming couple who came to Fuengirola from England years ago.

FAY, GETTING INTO THE SPIRIT.
TURNING SOME GREEN TINSEL INTO AN ELF'S BEARD.
SAN GERALDO: "DID YOU KNOW MITCHELL HAS A BLOG?"
MITCHELL: "I'LL POST THESE PICTURES TOMORROW."

The tables were festooned with Christmas decorations and treats — including Christmas "crackers" so popular in the UK. Our Christmas crackers were all duds. Not one at our table popped. In addition, there was a giant confetti tube, which you were supposed to twist to explode. No one could get it to work. By the time Fran got her hands on it, there was clearly no hope. Finally, Darin simply ripped it open and poured the confetti all over the table.

SAN GERALDO WITH THE CHRISTMAS CONFETTI TUBE.
(FRED AND FAY LEANING AWAY FROM THE EXPECTED EXPLOSION.)
DARREN GIVES IT A GO.
SLUSHEE HAS A WHACK AT IT.
AND IT GOES COMPLETELY LIMP FOR FRAN.
(WOULDN'T YOU JUST LOVE TO KNOW WHAT CHRIS IS THINKING?)

I might have gotten lucky last night if I had chosen. Well, on second thought, few people would have called it "lucky." There was an open bar and there were a number of people who took advantage of that. Thankfully, no one at our table got carried away.

ANOTHER DRINK FOR TIPSY.
But at one point, fairly early in the evening, a woman came walking back from the dance floor... No, wait, she came careening back from the dance floor. When she reached our table, she stopped, slapped me (hard) on the shoulder and demanded, "Get out my seat!"

Her eyes were a bit bleary. "What ya doin' in my seat?!?" she demanded.

Before I could respond, another woman came from behind and said as she dragged her away, "Sorry 'bout my friend. She's lookin' for 'er 'usband."

I laughed and asked, "Is she looking for her husband or a husband?"

Later on, "Tipsy" was again on the dance floor and had us all very concerned. The dance floor was at the top of three steps and she was twirling awfully close to the edge. Amazingly, she didn't go over (although she nearly twirled herself into oblivion several times).

BACK ON THE DANCE FLOOR WITH NOT HER HUSBAND.
(HIS HAND GOT A BIT MORE "FAMILIAR" AT TIMES.)

Tipsy got drunker, sloppier, and more ridiculous as the night wore on. And she wasn't done with me either. On another trip back to her table, she again stopped at ours, slapped me on the arm and demanded, "Where's my 'usband?!?"  I said, "He's at the next table, where you're supposed to be." ('Poor guy,' I thought to myself.) She leered at me and stumbled on.

'USBAND AND WIFE.  HOLD ONTO YOUR ANTLERS!

A few minutes later, Tipsy was back on the dance floor with "'er 'usband." I no longer felt sorry for him. They were a matched set.

MEANWHILE, BACK AT OUR SEDATE TABLE.

27 comments:

  1. There is one (or two) in every crowd. We went to a business function last year where the president of the organization and his wife got so sloshed they couldn't talk and she fell down to the point where they were thinking of calling an ambulance. I prefer to have a drink or two and go home safe and sound and no regrets the next day. Cheers (I best remember that as my Christmas party at work is tomorrow)

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    1. Cheapchick:
      Oh, those business parties. It's even worse when you have to see those people back in the office! Hope yours is nothing but fun this year.

      Delete
  2. It's not really a party until a drunk guest takes a spill on the dance floor.


    PS That last picture of Fay, learning you'll post pictures, is priceless!

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    1. Bob:
      I thought that shot was priceless, too. And so is Fay!

      Delete
  3. Oh, what fun! You did have the best table, with great friends, old and new. Tipsy is a riot - great comeback you had to her question about where is her husband. San Geraldo looks great! Wonderful to see him smiling and having fun. I loved the expression on Fay's face when she found out she will be in your blog. And a Monkees song! How cool! Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Jo:
      The music was a riot. Almost all American pop music from the '60s. Darin says that's just about all the play at British parties. There was also a very good singer (with a much wider variety).

      Delete
  4. At first I thought that video was the folks at your table trying to sing a Christmas Carol ;-) finally figured it out... duh. Looks like a classy party.... even with the reindeer antlers. Maybe Tipsy and her 'usband went home with Rudolph's red nose.

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    1. Sharon:
      I'll bit Tipsy and 'er 'usband woke up with red noses ... and eyes... and cheeks. It was a beautiful place in Mijas. We went on new road (for us)!

      Delete
  5. I must say you guys do know how to party. And to think I thought Spain a reserved country.

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    1. Stephen:
      Well, this was not your typical Spanish party. This was more your typical British party. But Spain, at least Southern Spain, is definitely not reserved.

      Delete
  6. This was a good party! And Fay's 'looks' are GREAT!! She must be a sport!
    What? No photos of you guys dancing!! I remember 'staff' parties I went to and there was always someone who needed 'assistance'.
    We always had 'crackers' at Christmas with Ron's Mom....they usually worked.

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    1. Jim:
      Fay is hilarious and a great sport. No dancing for us that night (not since our Texas Two-Step lessons in 1995)! I love Christmas crackers. Not really an American tradition. I was so disappointed when none of our worked.

      Delete
  7. Merry Christmas parties :) (I think the Fay picture is great, too.)
    I don't get the new interest in The Monkees... do you? Everyone but the little kids (I was one of the little kids) thought they were ridiculous fop... now, it's like they were Dylan and The Beatles all wrapped up in one *LOL*.

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    1. Judy:
      I was a Monkees fan, too, when I was a kid. If you think about it, "I'm A Believer" was certainly better than "Sylvia's Mother." Remember that classic by Dr. Hook and The Medicine Show?

      Delete
  8. Tipsy seems to have forgotten that she is no longer a young woman who can get away with things because she is young. Oh well, good blogging fodder. Looks like you had a great time.

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    1. Andrew:
      It wouldn't matter to me if Tipsy were young or ancient. She actually hit me... But, you're right; good blogging fodder. We did have a great time and we usually don't enjoy that kind of thing. We've really been lucky to meet the people we've met here.

      Delete
  9. The dumb-founded look on Fay's face is priceless! It looks like you had a great time. I wonder if the restaurant deliberately stocks dud crackers so they don't have all the confetti to clean up.

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    1. Ms. Sparrow:
      Fay was so funny and so expressive. As for the dud crackers, there was an awful lot of explosive noise from neighboring tables, so they weren't all duds. (And, thanks to Darrin, we still managed to leave the mess of confetti behind.)

      Delete
  10. ooh ! I love love love when people don funny hats and antlers! I try to do so as much as possible!

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    1. Spo:
      Not my style. But I tried to wear my antlers. They don't stay in place very well on a shaved head!

      Delete
  11. My, what a gay old time! (Just like the Flintstones).

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    1. Raybeard:
      Yaba daba doo... (And, sadly, I'm pretty sure we were the only gay couple there.)

      Delete
  12. Wow! You really did have a lively time with a spirited group of people. Love the expressions on Fay's face. She could be an actress! You do seem to make delightful friends wherever you go.

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    1. Kristi:
      We have been so lucky to meet the people we have... and of all ages. Fay is priceless!

      Delete
  13. (re: your response to my comment above)
    But I bet you two got all the attention - as the 'exotic' pair? (And, I bet, with a touch of envy from some quarters too!)

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    Replies
    1. Raybeard:
      When we lived in rural Connecticut in the '80s, we were the only "out" gay couple in our neck of the woods. Whether we were memorable or not, we were remembered!

      Delete
  14. Yes, I can well believe that!

    ReplyDelete

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