Murder Mystery

This weekend was another first. I played a part in a murder mystery dinner. A friend had a friend planning the evening and expressed a need for more male participants. I was feeling adventurous, so I said yes. I guess I'm not surprised that guys are a little gun shy of events like this, because they involve dressing up being downright silly. It's a lot like corporate America sans 401k.

I don't know why it is, but a lot of guys are hesitant to ham it up. Everyone likes to be the life of the party, but they don't want to look a fool doing it. At least, that's the only reason I can think of as to why I would be voted as giving the best male performance out of the 20 or other males in attendance -- I was the only one without shame. I know it wasn't the 30 dollar Walmart costume that won over the masses.

Of course, it probably helped that my character was quintessential deranged anachronism. I played a Bolivian, who, as a child, saved his village from marauders, and then went on to play Hercules on TV to the point that he became convinced he was Hercules. So, with this persona, I, and a gaggle of others with similarly odd characters, went from house to house, acting out the different parts of this murder mystery, revealing clues about how things unfolded so that someone in our part met there untimely demise.

And, it was a surprisingly good time. I got to wander around all night in armor, with a battle ax, saying things like, "The valet never knows how to park my chariot" and "Oh, that chakra ... I think left it in my other tunic."

"Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused."