Sally and Jack~50th Anniversary

 Having finished their first dance for their 50th Wedding Anniversary Party, Jack grabbed Rhonda and asked if she knew who the guy was sitting at the table over by the cake. She glanced over, then frowned. "I can barely see him, there are so many people here. Look how many have arrived since you started dancing."

 Sally asked Rhonda if I was there yet, and Rhonda said that I had called and I was on my way from the hotel, but I had difficulty getting an Uber. 

Many who attended were writer friends. Some who came together were Roy, Dr Nad (Dan),  Esostine, Michael L, Wayne F, Kimbob, Tom H, Bill, Barry, Tim, Jim, Jake, Kahpot, Imaginos, Shanbreen, estory, and Don. 

Soon the men and women were mingling and moving from table to table. Many of the women were staying at the same hotel and rented a bus to bring them. The ladies were Linda, Beth, Sanku (Santha), Mermaids (Elaine), June, Dolly, Janet, Barbara Wilkey, Crystiecookie999, Anna, Iza, Gypsy, Patricia, Pearl Edwards (Valda), Joanne, Brenda, Aussie (Kace), nanaGaye, Judiverse, Nancy Jam, Evilyn, Verna, Dragonpoet (Joan), Alex, Beth, Ulla, Lana Marie, Teri 7, Harmony13 (Maria), Laurie, Wendy, Dawn, Jazmine Girl (Lisa), artisart4u, Sugaray77 (Melissa),  Boogie nights (Sharon), Tempeste, Mia, Mintybee and rjuselius (Rebekka) and one of our newest members, Mrs Anna Howard. 

When Jack and Sally finished dancing, they wanted to visit with their many guests and decided to start with the stranger sitting by the cake. He smiled as they approached, lifting his glass in a 50th Anniversary toast.

Then the man said. "I was hoping to get a chance to meet and congratulate you."

Jack cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, but—who exactly are you?"

As the gentleman stood up, he shook Jack's hand and said, "I'm sorry, but you'll have to excuse me for a couple of minutes, as I was just heading to the restroom. I will be back shortly." He left his drink at the table and never came back for it. 

When I arrived at the party, I found the happy couple and congratulated them. They told me about the stranger and that he disappeared before they could find out who he was. 

Some sitting at a table by us started asking the others if they knew him. Sally commented that this felt like deja vu, like she had done this before. 

I figured she must have been thinking about 50 years earlier at her wedding. 

Finally, Sally said, "It doesn't make sense how he went into the restroom, but not one of us has seen him come back out of that door. Jack, darling, please go check to see if he is still in there."

John said, "I think I will go with you. Besides, I was going to get myself one more Papa Pillar's Rum." Then Ricmyworld (Ric), Jumbo James, Neonewman, (Steve) and Nomi decided to go with them. Then Eean said, "Wait for me," and followed the others.

LJButterfly (Lorraine), who had been sitting with us started laughing when Sally said she wondered how he had left the restroom without being seen. She said, "You know, Sally, you even play the detective role in real life." 

Then Debbie D'Arcy said, "Yeah, and isn't it amazing how men always tease that women can't use the restroom alone? Look at all those guys going in together." 

The guys were no sooner gone when Marilyn and Patrick walked in. They said they were late because they had just finished planning next week's club prompt. I tried to drill them to find the topic, but they weren't about to spill the beans. 

Helen said when she returned to her room, she had to do the same for her club.

Another group entered, and it was so good to see Gretchen, Karen, Carol C, Begin Again Carol, and Carol H. We all chuckled as we said simultaneously, it looked like our Carolers had arrived. After all, it was almost Christmas. Our bouncy Jessica said, "Okay girls, let's hear you sing!"

That's when our Begin Again Carol said, "Debi, look who's talking," as she pointed at me, Debbie D, Angel Debbie, Deb White, Debbie Pope, Deb Dyess and Deborah Marie. "Deb has to be the most popular name on the site. Don't you think? Isn't Dawn a Deb too?"  She gave us all the biggest smile. 

All were shaking their heads in agreement, when Regina piped in. "I don't seem to have that problem. I just so happen to be the only Regina I know."

After about a half hour or so, it didn't appear that Jack and the boys were coming back. Gretchen asked if there was a poker game going on in there? 

Then Tom Botts said, "You never know. After all, Ric went in there with them, didn't he?" Then Tom B chuckled and said, "C'mon, Steve, Patrick, and Jacob, let's go check out the big poker game." At first, I thought Sally was going to follow them. She gave Tom B the evil eye with a little smirk and a smile. 

Just then, Pam L., Sandra, Cecilia, Nicki, and Pam R. arrived and heard the news about the party crashing mysterious stranger from one of the many Debbies. 

Out of nowhere, we heard someone say, "Hey, if it isn't Thelma and Louise!"

Karenina shrieked, "Debi, look who's here." (and all the Debbies turned their heads to see if it was them being summoned) 

Karenina and I both ran over and gave Terry a hug. It had been so long since we had seen him on site. Terry laughed and said, "You know, I couldn't miss Jack and Sally's 50th Wedding Anniversary or a chance to see all my friends." 

Now, things started to seem strange, as another half hour passed and none of the guys returned. Sally said, "That is it. I am going to check out that men's room."

I said, "I don't think that is such a good idea." Instead, let's ask Terry to check it out, and he came back and said there was nobody in there. 

I told Sally I would go with her to look for Jack. She claimed he had never done anything like this in all their 50 years together.

I gave her a hug and said, "Every once in a while it's good for the heart to have them gone long enough for you to miss them." Deep down inside I had hoped that Jack was having a nice relaxing time visiting. 

Sandra offered to go with us too. That is when Margaret said, "I think I better go with you girls. You are like three blind mice; the blind leading the blind."

We all gave her a look, and she said, "C'mon, gals, where's your sense of humor?"  We tried to look serious for a minute, but then we all started laughing. 

We walked for a while, and it seemed we were getting closer to finding them when we heard what sounded like a lot of yelling and cheering. Margaret said it was coming from the bar. We looked and there was no poker game, but a football game on the big-screen TV. 

Sally found her groom of fifty years and said, "Football over me, at our party?"

Then, Jack told Sally that someone kept buying him another soda whenever he tried to leave. He said it was so nice getting to know all her writing friends. John had been telling him about the best recipes to try. Other men were talking about golfing and fishing.

Sally asked if they ever found the stranger they had talked to earlier. Jack said, "Yes, he is right here." At that time the stranger stood up and proceeded to introduce himself to Sally. 

I gasped as I yelled, "Glen, what are you doing here?"

He said, "You have told me so much about all these wonderful people. I wanted to surprise you and meet Sally and Jack, and everyone for myself. I already have gotten to know Jack and all the men watching the football game, and many in the bar. Terry even asked me to tell them about why they call me nine-toes."

I rolled my eyes and said, "Oh no, not that story again." I told Sally about it once before, so I caught the little teasing smile she threw my way.

Sally was so thrilled that Glen had flown down to surprise us that she wasn't upset with Jack for watching the game with the guys. 

The couple made the rounds to talk to all the people and were just finishing when the band quit playing.

I also made sure to introduce my husband, Glen to everyone before we left. He said he could see why I loved my FanStory friends. 

Since my visit had been so short with the anniversary couple, Glen and I invited them back to the hotel, where we spent the rest of the time talking until the wee hours of the morning.

It was during that visit that Sally and I learned about the second door in that restaurant room that leads directly to the bar. Mystery solved!

What a treat it was to make it to their anniversary party, to see so many of my favorite people, and have one of the nicest surprises of my life.