Masquerade

Masquerade

“I hate masquerades,” Joe said to Angie.

“Stop being a fuddy-duddy,” she shot back, having already listened to the statement for a week. Joe was not fond of parties, nor any activities for that matter. His idea of a good time was a beer and the TV. “You could have fun if you tried.”

“There’s no fun in going to a party in some weird disguise and having to figure out who everyone else is.”

“That IS the fun, trying to figure out who everyone else is. It’s like a mystery.”

“Some mystery, we already know who they are. Pot belly, Jeff- six foot six, Larry- always waving her fingers around as she walks, Susanna...”

“There will be new people there too.”

“Yes, and since we don’t know them at all, we wouldn’t be able to guess who they are, would we...”

“You never try to have any fun!”

“This is not my idea of fun!... What are you wearing anyway, you haven’t shown me yet.”

“Let’s make that the mystery!”

“Huh?”

“You go over first, I’ll come in in my costume and you see if you can pick me out.”

“Of course I’ll be able to!

“We’ll just see!” said Angie, flatly.

By eleven thirty, though Joe has guessed all of his friends, he still hasn’t found Angie. He had even gone up to women he was sure weren’t her, just in case she was better at this than he knew. Getting tired now, he decided to walk home and see if she followed.

She didn’t. Matter of fact, three years later as he sat in his jail cell watching TV, having been convicted of her murder since she was never found, he still couldn’t imagine what happened that night.

Angie could. Of course, now her name was Julia...