The 80's
My friend Jill and I have been friends since infant's school. For her 30th birthday she told me she wanted to have a party that made her feel young again and that was why she was going to celebrate with a "Totally 80's" theme party.
The invitations had hot pink envelopes and had a picture of Madonna (from her "Like a Virgin" days) on the cover. Inside were all the important details: Location, date, time and to wear the most outrageous 80's costumes you could find.
I found a great pair of skin-tight, black leather pants and a hot pink sweatshirt. Shockingly they looked just like a pair I used to own !!! I put my hair in a sideways pony tail with a pom-pom rubber band. I looked like I did back in school. Perfect!
Jill and I nearly fell over laughing when she opened the door to greet me. She was wearing rubber bracelets all the way up her forearm, a cut off shirt with the neck cut out as well, a mini skirt with a double studded belt, lace socks and black ankle boots. Her hair was spiral curled and held back with a bandanna head band. She had my costume beat.
Jill had bought the entire CD set of greatest 80's tunes. Songs I hadn't heard since school like, “Rock Me Amadeus", "Safety Dance" and "In a Big Country". It was the decade of the one-hit wonders and synthesizers. Her sofas and chairs were covered with animal print fabric and she had changed most of the light bulbs in the house to coloured party bulbs. There must have been forty people there all dressed like extras from an 80's music video. It was a really funny site.
There was plenty of beer, wine and alcohol on the tables and lots of snacks and nibbles. I don't know where Jill found the matching pink and black zebra print paper plates, cups, and napkins but they were perfect. Her brother Andy had taken up the role of the bartender. I asked him to make me a rum and coke (a favourite of mine back then).
I did see one guy who stood out from the rest. His costume was really cool. He was dressed like the singer from a Flock of Seagulls or the Thompson Twins, I really couldn't tell which, until he told me. He was cute and he appeared to be watching me. Nelly gave me an approving wink as she went by snapping pictures of everyone with her disposable camera.
Everyone got crazier and crazier as the night went on. Some people even started acting out the lyrics and lip synching to the words of the songs; it was as if no one had heard these tunes since we were in school. I felt as if we had returned to our school days for one night. I had a great time.
John and I enjoyed danced and singing to our favourite songs until my throat was getting sore. John and I found a quieter spot and talked. I found out that he and I were the same age, and we had also been at the same "Thompson Twins" concert years before. He said he thought he remembered seeing me there with Jill. I was getting pretty tired by the time we left. John and I shared a taxi home and exchanged numbers. What a great evening and a great party.
