House Party

Saturday, June 27, 1998
One year ago: Ten Different Mirrors

Last Saturday's Solstice parade report has been completed.

This afternoon we had the first Cacophony event sponsored by a new member, Jared: Public String Art. I took the bus to Seattle Center and ate some lunch (and a fantastic Elephant Ear!) while sitting on a bench in the flag court, overlooking the International Fountain. Tom "The Law" Lawrence joined me there, and we chatted, waiting for someone else to show up. Just as we were thinking about leaving, Nick and Jared appeared. Jared learned his first lesson: don't specify a different meeting place than the place where the event will take place, unless there is a compelling reason. I never even noticed that he'd said we should meet at the Space Needle, so I'd gone straight to the event venue.

I was feeling rather fragile, so I was just going to observe this event. Nick, Jared, and Tom started winding string and yarn in various patterns between the grid of flagpoles, forming a giant version of the string art craft that we used to play with as kids. Remember winding string or thread around nails pounded in a board, at camp, perhaps? But very soon, some Seattle Center personel arrived and asked them to raise the strings up high, above head height, so folks wouldn't trip over them. So the guys had to start again.

I had donated my yarn to the cause and seen them get off to a good beginning, so I walked back to the bus stop. Of course, I missed the bus by about two minutes! and on Saturday, the bus doesn't run very often, but the walk would do me no harm. I started walking towards home in the bright sunshine. I figured I could at least walk to where the hill gets steep, at Denny and Westlake. I waited for the next bus and admired the previously owned luxury cars being sold there.

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I reposed myself during the afternoon, then did some work on ideas for the July design for this journal. The picture of myself from May was rather popular, so I got my camera out to try and get an image of myself that pleased me. I did get a few, and went outside and asked my neighbor Amos to take a few of me. He is a very courtly old gentleman who lives in the building next door. He walks around the neighborhood all day, keeping an eye on things, wearing a straw fedora. He'd never seen a digital camera, but he did his best.

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Last night Joe Ross gave me an invitation to a party being given by "Hep" Jen, one of my dance teachers. But when I tried to start my car, the battery was dead! I swore heartily, then decided to go to the party anyway! Though I hadn't been there before, I knew the house wasn't too far from the bus line I'd take to the University district.

Today was my day for walking! The house was about nine long blocks from where I got off the bus. I was carrying my contribution to the party provisions, as well as my dancing shoes, digital camera (not used -- forgot!) and japanese fan, but it wasn't too bad of a walk on a nice evening. Jen's place is a large group home about seven blocks north of the University. A group of seven people had been living there for several years, but the couple that owned the house was divorcing and the wife wanted to move back into the house. So tenants, out! Perfect time for a party! Or, as Joe Ross put it, a "Trash the House Party!" The large living room was cleared out for dancing.

Because all of the housemates had invited folks, there was quite a mixture of people, from college age up to my range. Some were swing dancers, but most weren't. We had several sessions of swing dancing in between the regular disco stuff. I had fun, chatting with new people and old buddies. I especially enjoyed dancing with Anthony, whom I've seen at the Century but hadn't met before. I hope he wasn't offended when I asked whether he was still in college or in grad school. Turns out he is working on his PhD! But I've never seen him in daylight, so it isn't easy to judge his age. He's a fun dancer!

I also had a good time with Joe Ross, Dan Ross, Benjamin, and "Cat Daddy" Chris. We were dancing in pretty close quarters, and the disco ball was a bit distracting, but it was great! Joe was dressed in seventies threads and wearing a wig; he was the image of "Shaggy" from the Scoobie Do cartoon show! I didn't recognize him when I first saw him. Dan was wearing a leisure suit and shoes from his senior year in high school!

The housemates were all dressed in mover's coveralls. Jen was known as "Fred" for the evening, and completed her ensemble with a specially curved flashlight that fitted the top of her head and was held on by an elastic headband.

I remember chatting with Chris outside, when local musician Monty Banks started demonstrating a dance step that had been based on one of his characteristic moves. For the first time the difference between East Coast Swing and Lindy became clear to Monty: ECS is based on a six-count pattern, while lindy is eight-count. The steps of ECS don't fit exactly with the pattern of the music. When the light broke through the clouds, Monty exclaimed, "No wonder I hate that East Coast Swing!" (my rough paraphrase.)

This party really took me back to college days. I don't know when I've seen so many drunk people since!

I was fortunate enough to get a ride home from Melissa, who has just moved here from Las Vegas.

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