Halloweenasty V

7:30pm Saturday October 23, 2004

As my cab pulled up to the corner of Greenich and Houston, I could see three bright yellow school buses with people everywhere—inside and out—all decked out for the Halloween party of the year. I was a bundled up Snow White with Fuji apple in hand. I made a quick call to my friends and asked which bus they were on. I finally located them amidst the ruckus of blaring music, a bevy of alcohol being passed around, and a bunch of giddy 20-somethings embarking on a wild night. My friends Tej (a NYC tourist) and Rob (a 70’s pimp) were in their element. They handed me a mixed drink and proceeded to introduce me to the flock of girls surrounding them. “Typical New York proportions,” I sighed in disappointment as I surveyed the guy to girl ratio. It was an hour and a half bus ride to my friend Erin’s house in Jersey. She and her siblings had hosted this Halloweenasty party for the past five years. The connection: Erin, Tej, Rob, and I are friends from business school.

After meandering through numerous windy roads, we finally arrive. Large glowing monsters and ghosts adorn the front of the mansion. Erin who had my same Paris Hilton costume idea is there with her brother and sister to greet the guests. A professional photographer is there as well. Everyone walks in and wanders around in disbelief. There are rooms upon rooms, libraries, sitting areas, even a tower! The main dining room is full of catered food. A separate room holds the desserts. They’ve transformed the backyard into a beer garden. A DJ is spinning techno in the main room. Hip hop’s in the library. I help myself to food. Tej wants to drink. Rob boogies on the dance floor. Tej and I join him and next thing you know, we’re all making out with random people. It’s seriously one big love fest.

Time for dessert. I’m sitting down by myself, contentedly stuffing my face with cake and chocolate. Thad, a guy I used to date, notices me and gives me a hug. We catch up and he insists we go dance. Not until I’ve finished my cake! He sits in irritation as I savor the rest of my cake bite-by-bite. All done! He grabs my hand, pulls me onto the dance floor, and immediately scoops me into his arms. I pull away and ask, “Where’s your girlfriend?” I’m hoping he’ll say they broke up because I’m almost certain we’re going to hook up that night and I hate being ‘that’ girl. Thad and I dated because of extreme attraction towards one another. We had absolutely nothing else in common.

“She couldn’t make it,” he whispers. Good, I don’t detect too much emotion there. If he doesn’t give a damn, then I shouldn’t care either. Thad can’t stop kissing me; I’m locked in his embrace. Suddenly, he breaks away and looks around. “We can’t do this here. A lot of these people know my girlfriend.” I roll my eyes. I should never have left the dessert room. For the next couple hours, he whisks me away from one room to the next.

Back in the main room, I join my friends Tej and Rob. Rob tells me a story that sums up the party quite well. Rob and this one girl had hit it off. They spent the whole night dancing, kissing, and hanging out with each other. When she goes to the bathroom, another girl comes on to Rob and they start dancing and making out. When Rob’s primary girl returns, she stares at him in disbelief. Rob’s response? “You shouldn’t have gone to the bathroom.”

4am the bus is making its way back into Manhattan. I’m shivering, having lost my gloves somewhere in that mansion. How appropriate to end the night between my two guy friends, huddled up next to me. Despite my initial disappointment with the guy to girl ratio, the odds seemed to work in my favor. 5 guys. I shudder in shock.

7 more days until Halloweenasty VI. Stay tuned.