- da Brooklyn Stoop

- Brooklyn Memories

The Special Party

by Phil Johnson

     In January, 1960, the days were short, the weather miserable, school sucked, life was pretty boring and hanging out at the candy store didn't help much. Besides, parents and teachers always seemed to be on my case.

     Sitting in the candy store one day, out of the blue, Arnie suggested that the fraternity have a party in his parents basement while they were in Puerto Rico to get some winter sun. This was particularly surprining 'cause Arnie never volunteered his home. A party was always a welcome occasion and having a place to have one was essential. The excitement rose as the brothers made plans for snacks, mixers, and beer when one of the brothers, Joey suggested they have a different type of party rather than the usual stuff.

     In the talk of what that may be someone, maybe Joey D., suggested a "Pig Party" where everyone had to bring the fattest, ugliest girl they could convince to come. To make it more interesting all the guys who came to party had to put in $2 with the pot going to the brother bringing the "Best Pig".

     This didn't go over to well with all the brothers 'cause some of the guys had steady girlfriends and 1.) they were generally not in this group of pulchritude and 2.) if word got out about the type
of party being planned everyone, and the fraternity itself, would loose standing.

     The solution was a) if you wanted to NOT come to the party, that was okay but don't spoil it for the rest of the brothers. b) You could bring a girl from some other school but she
had to qualify. c) Keeping the secret was essential, and... d) "Pre-Valentine's Day Party" was
chosen as the theme.

     Bobby hung close to me as we worked the "Pig Party" date issue together. We decided not to invite anyone from the neighborhood and Bobby new of twin Italian girls who were Juniors at Bay Ridge High School who would qualify as party attendees. I was designated to do the talkinng and we happened to meet the girls as they got off the bus one afternoon.

     The girls, though they had seen Bobby and me around, weren't too easily convinced to go to the party but since both were being invited to a Pre-Valentines Day Party they didn't say NO immediately. The next day we caught up with them again and the girls, Lorraine and Louise, were pretty giddy and agreed to go.

     Instead of being picked up at their house, they asked to be met by the movies since their father had told them that he knew what boys were after and didn't like his girls going to parties. This was way okay with Bobby and me.

     On the evening of the party bobby and me each bought a small red rose corsage and chipped in for a half pint Of Seagrams 7 that my older brother Paul bought for us. As they stood in front of the Oriental, waiting for the girls we became a bit nervous about our cover being blown and about who would take which girl. After agreeing that it didn't make much difference, I got Lorraine and Bobby was assigned Louise.

     When the girls finally arrived, 10 minutes late, they actually didn't look too bad. Some might say they still qualified for the party but they wouldn't win the prize. We were pleasantly pleased... particularly Bobby.

     As we walked to Arnie's house we tralked about school, family and such, and even laughed although Bobby didn't say much. As we were about to enter Arnie's basement entrance, I offered Lorraine a sip of the Seagram's and she took two small sips. I then extended the small bottle to Louise who took it gladly and downed one longer sip and smiled big.

     Inside the basement the lights were low, there were some Valentine's Day streamers and balloons, Johnny Mathis was singing from a well played record and two of the four couples were slow dancing. At this point it looked like Nunzi was going to walk away with the "Pig Party Pot".

     After some introductions, Seven and Seven drinks were sipped and everyone seemed a little nervous in conversation. When Nunzie came over he was pretty tipsy and told a very, very gross joke and was the only one who laughed. As if this was a cue, Lorraine asked where the bathroom was beckoned Louise to join her.

     Joey pulled Nunzie into the corner and just about everyone could hear them argue and then Nunzie say, "Whatta fuck does it matter, it's a Pig Party!"

     Everyone seemed to glance at each other to see if they had heard... they had... but no one said anything.

     As Lorraine and Louise came back from bathroom, big time racous laughs could be heard from outside the basement entrance. As the door opened, two girls came in followed by Timmy and Jerry looking
ashamedly embarrassed. As the heat from the basement enveloped the smaller of the two jumbo girls, she turned very pale, gagged, and gave up her lunch, dinner and two Pabst beers to Arnie's light pinkish shag carpet.

     In the silence that followed, except for Johnny Mathis, and as the girl's friend tried to help her, Nunzie's date whispered to Louise and Lorraine about Nunzi's remark. There were no smiles and Lorraine and Louise looked at each other and headed to grab their coats and exit the basement without stepping on the two girls on their knees nor in the recent spillage.

     Bobby and I headed after them and denied our involvement or knowledge of the purpose of the party. My skills worked again and after we got things quieted down we offered to take the girls for Chinese or Italian to make it up to them.

     We wound up going for pizza and shared a plain cheese and some sodas. The chatter was good and there were some laughs but no one was really at ease; particularly Bobby who continued to apologize.

     At the end of the evening we walked the girls home, no kisses, no phone numbers, and no, even weak, promises made. I leaned forward as if to kiss Lorraine but she turned and entered her house followed immediately by Louise.

     The party was never a topic of discussion among the brothers and Arnie used the money from the pot to get the shag carpet cleaned. The Pig Party, no matter how special, never became an annual event.



[end] © Copyright by Ken Thompson - 2006.