Short Story and Poem by Shahrzad Saeedi

Guise

I never look for trouble intentionally, but trouble always has a knack of finding me.

I had recently been invited to a fancy dress party and I figured I would have a good time there, but the outcome of the party was far from what I had expected, and it changed people's perception of me. One of the reasons I was looking forward to going to the party was because a girl I like called Jane had also been invited. As it was a fancy dress party, I decided to go as a mad scientist, like the character Doc from Back to the Future. I donned a white lab coat and I wore a rubber bald top with an attached grey wig. In hindsight, this was a poor costume choice. Anyway, I arrived at the house where the party was being held and once inside I felt like I had stepped into an alternate universe. I took in the grandness of the house which almost resembled a mansion. There was a chandelier in the hallway and elaborate furniture decked the living room. The music was blaring and many people had already gathered inside the house. The other partygoers were wearing an assortment of costumes, ranging from a Victorian lady to a pirate. The atmosphere of the party was buzzing and there was a good vibe. I heard someone call my name from the crowd of people, 'Vincent, you're going bald!' I looked around and distinguished my friends who greeted me. One of my friends commented on my costume and said that it suited me. Jane was among my friends and she had dressed up as a Flapper from the 1920s. She was wearing a short, silver sequined dress and she looked stunning. I really wanted to tell Jane that I liked her but I couldn't risk rejection. As more guests in costumes flocked into the house, the party was well underway. I and my friends mingled and made the most of the party. I overheard a girl telling her friend that Robert Mills was at the party. Robert Mills is a young, famous actor. Sure enough, I soon saw Robert in his costume. Mills had dressed up as a gangster and his outfit consisted of a hat and a black pinstriped suit. Mills was smoking a Cuban cigar and he was standing with a group of girls who were practically swooning. He looked complacent, as though he was the greatest thing since sliced bread. I perceived Robert approach Jane and they started having a conversation. I suddenly wished I had chosen a better costume. How is a mad scientist supposed to compete with a slick gangster? My costume seemed to confirm my eccentricity, whereas Mills' costume made him appear suave and powerful. As the two were talking, Mills looked nonplussed and then angry. I can only assume that Jane was not interested in Mills. Mills started loudly criticizing Jane in a malicious way. Mills took a puff of his cigar and nonchalantly breathed cigar smoke into Jane's face. Something inside of me snapped and before I knew it I had gotten into a fight with Robert. It all seems like a blur now but I remember punching Robert in the face and him getting a bloody nose. We were grappling with each other, and I could hear people around us shouting but I didn't care. Eventually, Robert knocked me out cold. When I woke up I saw Jane and my friends standing over me looking concerned. Jane asked me if I was alright. Maybe I was delirious, but I felt like all that mattered was that Jane gave a damn about me. One of my friends congratulated me and said I was a dark horse. He added that most of the guys at the party felt like punching Robert in the face too, on account of the fact Mills was too handsome and up himself. Jane thanked me for standing up for her. I later told Jane about my feelings for her and we're now going out together. I'm not advocating violence or anything. I hit Robert because of his behaviour towards Jane. The scuffle between Mills and I appeared in a tabloid newspaper the next day under the headline, 'Robert Mills attacked by lunatic at party'. I guess I really do resemble my character from Back to the Future.

Re: Answers

 

Knowledge leads to money, power-

fall.

Looking at the world

from a different perspective,

does anything make sense

if everything makes sense?

The world is flat because I say so.

If that's wrong and this is right

then where is left?

 

The meaning of life is ----------------.

God will tell you when you see Him.

 

The alphabet soup spells out 'FULL'

but he's still hungry for answers

to questions no one asked.