October, 1996. I went to a Halloween party with my friend Jordan... he worked for a digital effects company and they threw lavish holiday parties. I wore my favorite costume at the time... a polyester, insanely bright, muumuu type dress and messed up makeup and hair. It was like Mrs. Roper in her worst nightmare. I had props, too... a plastic bottle of the cheapest whiskey I could find, and a highball glass.

The party was a wild affair... black lights... rockin’ swamp boogie band on the stage... and the people friendly and fun. I saw old friends and did prat falls down the stairs. I acted drunk seamlessly.

But through the evening, I saw from time to time, a man... he was so fascinating. He was dressed in a light blue suit. His forehead was high and his mustache was so thin. He had a way of moving... such... sloppy leisure. He seemed careless and commanding at once. But he was always there and gone in a flash.

Finally, the party was over. I stood outside, waiting for my friend to finish his good-byes and there was this mysterious man, this... Smarmy Guy, standing alone in the courtyard, looking at me. There was some cheesy seventies music playing and felt like it had been picked specially for this moment. I walked over to him. I introduced myself. He licked his fingertips and smoothed his eyebrows. He leaned back, as if against a bar, though there was nothing there.

He said, "You’re already in love with me."

He gave me a disco point, like Isaac from The Love Boat. And I was.

Jordan came back. I went home. I asked my friends who was that Smarmy Guy... no one would tell me. They all knew him and no one would tell. They saw him every day at work and still they wouldn’t help me find him again.

Until July 25, 1997. But that's another story...

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