1920's Ball at the RAC

I suppose in the end it was a good thing that Roofie's Brother couldn't make it to the ball with me.  As I still haven't managed to shake this cold, and after a hectic day at work, I found myself running an hour late to the ball.

I missed the pre-dinner drinks entirely (after a cab ride that I eventually calculated took just as long as hopping on the Tube would have), and arrived just as everyone was sitting down to dinner.  Although at least I arrived on time for dinner, which is more than I can say for my dinner companion...  After Roofie's Brother had to cancel on me, the Young Dutchman begged that I should take a guy from his work, who we'll call "Google Guy".  Perhaps not my first choice, but I needed to bring somebody, so why not?

This guy however, did not show up until two-and-half hours after the event was due to begin, arriving halfway through the main course.  I was absolutely mortified.  The staff kept coming over to ask if he was coming, everyone else at the table was constantly asking where my guest was, and it really was looking like I'd totally been stood up.  At the start of dinner, when I spotted the Young Dutchman and Kellogg Boy arrive at their table, I went over to ask where on earth their friend was.  "Coming soon, in 20 minutes or so..."  Jeepers, why can't this guy manage to show up on time if they can?

With the Young Dutchman and Kellogg Boy

Finally however, the guy did arrive, although I positively fuming at this point, and didn't speak to him at all until the dessert course.  Because just as long as we're being critical, this guy, instead of being in white-tie as promised, showed up in a black suit with a pre-tied black bow-tie.  I later learned from Kellogg Boy that Google Guy had told him at lunchtime today that he was going out to buy "white-tie", which he thought was quite simply "a white tie".  Not even a bow-tie!  And so they had to explain to the guy that this wasn't going to work, that he needed to wear a dinner jacket and black-tie at least...

I'll make allowances for the fact that not everybody lives in this weird, rarefied world that I do, and would instantly know what white-tie is, but this is a guy who is supposed to be smart and cultured.  Except he can't be bothered to show up on time or dress appropriately.  I was so embarrassed ..  Last time I ever let the Young Dutchman convince me to take one of his friends anywhere!

Finally over dessert, we broke the tense silence of our stand-off, because we sort of had to talk, right?  At which point it suddenly became obvious to me why the Young Dutchman is friends with this guy, as in the course of conversation it became apparent that his family is as rich as Croesus.  Originally from Honduras (I think?), he lived on the Kings Road in Chelsea and his family had a house in Italy too.  I don't know why the Young Dutchman does this, where he gets drawn to wealthy people, regardless of whether they are the types one would truly want to be friends with.  Kellogg Boy and I often love to joke about this, how the Young Dutchman will make "connections" as much as he will make friends.  They don't last for long, but it's really a characteristic that should have alerted me by now to the fact that if the Young Dutchman vouches for someone, it doesn't really mean anything at all.

The trick is, of course, figuring out how much you have to bother getting to know these people, given that they will usually be gone in short order.  If it's a girl, that's easy, as they rarely last more than 2-3 weeks.  With guys, it's tougher, as some of them have continued to stick around much longer than I would have anticipated (like Painfully Shy Guy).  Normally I would totally disregard this guy, except that he seemed to be friends with Kellogg Boy, which gives him somewhat more "sticking" power.  So I figured I had to be at least friendly, even if I didn't truly need to go out of my way for this guy after his disastrous first impression.

We did at least have a somewhat interesting conversation about US Basketball, and we switched the conversation into Spanish for a while, which I was relatively comfortable with, although I switched it back into English before we could talk about topics too far outside of my vocabulary comfort zone.  Still, he praised my speaking ability, and I had to admit that I found him very easy to understand.  So apparently my Spanish isn't that bad...

After dinner, the dancing started, although I mostly spent time standing around talking to people (as let's face it, I know everyone).  I got quite the pleasant surprise when the Wild Welshman came over to say hello, as I can't remember the last time I saw him in a social context.  He told me that I was looking lovely, in such a genuine way, that I was truly flattered.  Kind of as though upon seeing me, he had been reminded of how beautiful I can be.  Very sweet.

Kellogg Boy then came over to find me, saying that I needed to stop drinking water and drink a "man's drink", and so we were going downstairs to the Cocktail Bar to find such things.  We were joined by Google Guy (the Young Dutchman was of course off somewhere, likely pursuing something blonde), and as we walked out of the ballroom, Google Guy comments that he's found it surprising that when he mentions the Young Dutchman or Kellogg Boy to people, nobody has any idea who they are.  Well duh, of course not, as the two of them are stuck at work all of the time!

So I made a joke that he was asking about the wrong person, that of course nobody knows the Young Dutchman or Kellogg Boy, but rather they all know me.  And just as I said that, at the top of the stairs appeared Italian Guy!  And as soon as he saw me, he flung his arms wide and said, "My lovely, I've been looking for you!"  I raced into his arms with a wiggle and a yelp, I was so happy to see him.

Turns out that he and a bunch of the boys from the Carlton had been out at dinner this evening, and they'd retired to the RAC for drinks, because Italian Guy had promised me that he would come find me.  So I took his arm, and we went downstairs to join the rest of the crowds.

Once in the cocktail bar, I lost Kellogg Boy and Google Guy, as I was grabbed by many people who wanted to say hello, including Carlton Rapper Guy and the American, among others.  Although the best part was how Italian Guy kept holding on to me, and declaring to the crowds at large, "This is my absolute favourite bird in the whole wide world."  When somebody told him that it was inappropriate to call me a "bird", I just laughed and told him, "Well then I guess I'm your best girl then."  To which he looked me deep in the eyes, and with a smile only the two of us really understand, grinned and said, "That you are..."

Someone even put a glass of champagne in my hand, and I talked to other people for a bit, but that drink paled in comparison to the moment when a hand appeared from over my shoulder and wafted a drink right under my nose.  I could smell it before I could see it, and my face lit up with delight.  "Old Fashioneds!"

Kellogg Boy laughed at my thrilled reaction, and as bad as it sounds, the smell of the whiskey was heavenly.  And then he explained to Google Guy that I have a family reason for drinking Old Fashioneds, and that I was one of the coolest people he knew.

We went back upstairs for a little bit, I found myself sharing a dance with a random guy, and then when they shut down the dance floor, I walked out with the Wild Welshman and his girlfriend.  She was obviously drunk and behaving a bit strangely, although he seemed to be tolerating it as well as he could.  It's funny how some people go for types I wouldn't have originally predicted, but as long as they seem to work out...

We then retired down to the Long Bar and I got pulled into conversation with tons of random people, all of the way until it was suddenly 3 AM.  Where on earth did the time go?  At least my original goal for the evening, of avoiding going to Annabell's with Italian Guy and the others, turned out to have been a success.  The Blonde had been wanting to go, but I really just had no interest.

I then called for a cab, although my normally reliable cab company took ages to show up, so much so that although I called them at 3 AM, I didn't get into the cab until after 4 AM!  And then was not home of course, until 4:30 AM.  Lesson learned, just get a more expensive cab in the future and get home quicker!

At least once I was home safely, I messaged Italian Guy to let him know I was home safe and how much I had loved seeing him.  To which he replied, "Hey lovely, I made sure I came and found you. A's was great fun but I was in real trouble at the end."  Definitely glad I didn't go then!