The Spring Fling
Last night we combed our hair, put on smart clothes, and wandered down to the local primary school for the annual “Spring Fling” fundraising evening. The evening has been run for the past several years by some good friends of ours – and to be honest, I have no idea how they do it.
The school hall was transformed from it's usual self into an exclusive party venue for the night – with parachute drapes, subdued lighting, and silverware polished to within an inch of it's life. Staffing was provided by an army of teenage girls (most coming from the local gymnastics team, it seemed), and food cooked by a couple of the parents – quite how they catered for 40 or more guests, I'll never know.
Somehow I managed to sit next to perhaps my best/favourite girl friend. I know you're not supposed to have favourites, but our families have become quite close over the last few years, and we have the same idiotic/naughty/stupid (delete as appropriate) sense of humour. I'm amazed I don't have bruises on my arm from being repeatedly punched for being cheeky.
Memory is a little hazy now – and I'm stunned I don't have a hangover – but I think we got through about 5 bottles of wine between 5 of us that agreed to share – and one of us wasn't really drinking. The conversation, stories, laughter, and shenanigans carried us through the meal, and late into the night – I'm not quite sure how it happened, but I only got up for one dance – right at the end. We allgot up for one dance, right at the end – and it was fun.
I guess the school has a strict license for music, because as midnight chimed, suddenly the music died, and everybody looked around, blinking, wondering what had happened. Smiling faces in the glitter ball light pulled on coats, and we all filed out into the night. I did sneak behind the scenes and find one of the secret helpers – an inspirational deputy head that had been drafted in at the last minute to help, and is as mad/nerdy/geeky as me. Somehow I got invited to grab her ass (by earlier mentioned idiot friend), and expertly declined – citing scandal, lawsuits, and her enjoying it far too much.
Given the slings and arrows life has thrown at us recently, last night was needed. Earlier in the week we had considered not attending, but in the end we are glad we went. Spending time with friends is incredibly valuable sometimes – close friends especially so. For at least a few hours we got the chance to forget about everything, and just be ourselves.