the pArty
As we pulled up into the driveway, Stacey’s house greeted us with the sounds of late 60s rock and roll, of the sort I usually associate with Oliver Stone films and those TV-advertised Freedom Rock cassette compilations. Co-host Brandon, who introduced himself as Burplee student activist and heartbreaker Nate Ashbury, welcomed us with hugs, and proclamations of love, peace and brother/sisterhood. In his fringed, brown-suede vest and love beads, worn proudly over a bare chest, he was exceedingly well-immersed in character, a feat I had a harder time managing, given that there was about zero chance of me summoning up a Jamaican accent or keeping a straight face as I witnessed the transformation of my friends into hippie-dippy folk.

As the other couples arrived, it was obvious that everyone had had a blast coming up with costumes. As for truly getting into character, the men seemed to relish their new identities more than the women (apparently enjoying the opportunity to embrace the inner sleaze) but on the whole, we were all enjoying the spirit of the game – along with the icy cold frozen margaritas that we sipped as we awaited dinner and read over everyone’s character synopses. Since our party happened to coincide with Cinco de Mayo, our hosts had decided to ignore the suggested menu and freewheel it instead with some delicious cheese enchiladas in green sauce, along with some of the best corn bread I’ve ever tasted. Apparently the recommended menu is a multi-course affair, designed to be served at various stages of the game, and includes such fare as "Wild Rice Ring with Cheese, Spinach and Nuts," which no doubt would have been tasty as well.

At any rate, after finishing our meal, we proceeded to listen to a tape, on which a voice that introduced itself as Lyle Acidtrip provided some background info and starting clues. This, then, was the official start of the game. The game would take place in a total of 4 rounds. Each person had been a given a character’s guide, which would provide us with secrets that we were to try to conceal – unless asked directly by another character about that specific secret – as well as information that we would be required to reveal during the course of each round. By the end of the game, we’d have to piece all the clues together to uncover the mystery of whodunnit and why.