Sunday, February 15, 2004

I have come to return The Return of Jafar...
So, last night then.

On the whole it was good fun, although for the most part I wasn't in the best of moods to enjoy it all seeing as I only knew Dan and Ami really well, but they were all nice people anyway. Just... yeah.

Anyway, it started off with me being fifteen minutes late setting off, as I'd mis-planned taking the dogs for a walk and reckoned without having to take a shower, which in total added three-quarters of an hour to an already tight schedule. Wolfed down curry stuff and left (in Lovely New Leather Jacket, no less ^_^).

When I arrived, Dan's Dad asked me if I knew what the plan was. Dan had told me a few weeks beforehand, but then phoned me up a night or so ago to tell me it had changed.

"Erm... not entirely." I was feeling rather nervous, having to deal with people I'd never met before ever.

He explained the amended situation and I became more confused but nodded, smiled, and said 'Yes' anyway. Then he gave me the key to Dan's second house (he has two buildings, one main house and one smaller one that no-one's actually allowed to live in for some odd reason), where the party was due to take place.

I stood around for a bit- three people were supposedly already here, but they arrived at half six (when I was supposed to be there) and had gone down to the Fish and Chips shop. I'd eaten already, so there was no love lost there. Just mild confusion and worry.

They came back and I opened the door, introducing myself as 'Hugo', to whit there was some laughter. After a few minutes, I was told of the joke- on the invitations, Dan had written

"...and Hugo will be there to show you where to put your coats."

It became a running joke, heh. After a while, more people arrived so we stuffed everyone's bags into the workshop and walked over to his main house, the plan being thus: since Ami actually found out about the surprise party, Dan thought he'd take her over to the smaller house first where the party would have been taking place, trying to lead her into the false assumption that it had been called off. Meanwhile, we were in the main house awaiting Dan's phonecall to signal us to creep over and burst in.

Except, it didn't really work like that ^_^;

We went over and sat in Dan's bedroom, trying to define exactly what the plan would be (while I showed everyone potential places to put their coats). We suddenly wondered if it would be a better idea to have Dan come over to the main house for some forgeable reason and then have him come back over with us, but actually telling Dan would be a problem seeing as by that time he would be driving back with Ami in his car. As he can't speak on the phone and drive at the same time, Ami would be the one picking up. Badbad.

So, we wondered: what if we got Dan's Dad to use the intercom to ask him to come over for some reason?
Problem: He might bring Ami.

So, we wondered: What if I phoned Dan up (and this was soemone else's idea) and asked if he was doing anything tonight, but then forgot that it was Valentine's Day o_o; Yes, that's actually how the plan was presented. I didn't understand it either.
Problem: Why would I phone up to tell him I forgot it was Valentine's Day?

So, we wondered: Why don't we make it look like I've come over to return a video?

No problems spotted yet. We spent ages debating on the video it should be- something with comedy value was preferred. Someone suggested 'Truckers', but I told them I already had that ^_^; It was a close call between Return of Jafar and Tarzan, but The Return of Jafar won out. So when Dan gave us the signal we set the plan into motion.

*cue Mission Impossible theme*
What I hadn't realised was that Dan had left the door open in the smaller house, so us formulating a plan was redundant as we could just sneak in anyway. We vowed to be as quiet as possible and even worked out a strategy that meant we completely missed the gravel path, thus avoiding noise that could give the game away.

When I got to the front door, everyone else (about eleven or so people) backed against the wall like spies while I inspected the red wood panels. It used to be a stable or something- the door was originally in two halves that swung out individually. But anyway, I whispered to everyone else that as the door was open, we should go in. So as we went in everyone else immediately hid in the kitchen. But the fact that the door was open suggested that we should just be sneaking up anyway, so I told people to come up behind me.

When we got to the stairs *dun dun* I waited a few seconds to find a suitable gap to plant myself in. When the time was right (they were playing with lightsabers), I strode up and said, in very ceremonious (but mechanical style):

"I have come to return The Return of Jafar."

Everyone behind me burst out laughing and immediately launched themselves at Ami, who was pleased. We handed her presents and continued with the frivolities, which included a very long game of Jungle Book Twister which I would have won had my leg not cramped up. Since Nick and I were doing so well, Dan decided to leave the spinning thing and just move our hands and feet to whichever space he thought most difficult to get to. It lasted for about ten minutes before my muscles almost screamed with pain and I collapsed on the floor, which thankfully was only an inch or so away.

Then came the rather less fun part of the evening- prank calls and I Know What You Did Last Summer. I've never been a big fan of prank calls or horror films, so I wasn't hugely impressed. Especially as they wanted me to do an Italian accent for the S&M expert in the 'RampantBunnies.com' hotline. I probably would have joined in had I been able to perfect an accent or character, but I wasn't in a great frame of mind.

I fell asleep in a very awkward position; my legs are still hurting. I was only in a sleeping bag- the floor's rather hard, and I kept being pushed towards the corner of the room by the person next to me, who was almost always rolling over. I ended up lying pretty much up the wall with my feet underneath a very large homemade R2-D2.

This morning felt very much like the morning after the night before, with the same kind of emotions knocking around. Not knowing everyone very well, as nice people as they are, you can't help but feel a little left out, especially if the two people you do know well know everyone else just as well as you know them. So I left as soon as the Friends video stopped.

So it was fun, if a little chaotic. It was probably more enjoyable when people weren't drunk, or making prank calls. Still, it's an experience. And I can say that I did it, heh.

Now, to other things...
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