Mark was worried, nearly seven o'clock and no sign of the taxi. Steve rushed through, buttoning his shirt. "Nothing yet, Pop?" Mark fidgeted nervously, looking out from the beach house window. "These costumes are amazing," Steve remarked, respendent in velvet and lace. "Indeed they are," Mark said, feeling the luxurious cloth. "Not too sure about the shoes though!" Father and Son laughed together, holding a foot up each, showing quaint 17th century style shoes with an enormous buckle.
The evening was set for a Charity Ball Event, to raise funds for the hospital, on a glorious summers evening. Three pips from the taxi broke the sound of laughter in the beach house. "C'mon, son! It's here!" exclaimed Mark, gingerly making his way down the steps in tiptoes, not wanting to scuff his new shoes.
"The hats! The hats, quickly!!!" Steve ran back to the house......"and the Masks too," chimed in Mark, forgetting the most important part of the costume, picking up two tricorned hats, and two velvet masks.
Breathless and laughing, Steve finally joined his father in the taxi. The journey was not long, but storytelling and jokes made it seem a shorter ride.
"Here we are," Mark said, "at last." Eager to get out of the confines of the taxi, and what a pleasant sight greeted the eye. One of the old colonial mansions in a fitting setting, bathed in sunset. "Doctor Sloane, what a wonderful surprise! And Steve, too," kissing them both, in a manner slightly over familiar. "This is indeed exciting, is it not?" exclaimed the tall woman. "Forgive me, my name is Darlene Masterton, the owner of this place, you see, I couldn't resist offering the hospital the chance to hold the ball here." "Allow me to escort you to the main hall." Steve was enjoying this, as he gave his father a sly wink. Ohhhh, Doctor Sloane, remember your masks. It IS a masked Ball, she laughed.
"Everyone has now arrived;" she gestured to the butler, with a sweep of her hand. "Ladies and Gentlemen, make yourself comfortable, help yourselves to drinks, dinner is served at eight o'clock."
"A medieval banquet" beamed Mark, "just like the Middle Ages!" Steve nodded, enjoying a large goblet of red wine. "Darlene," Mark asked anxiously, " just one question, Where are the knives and forks?"
"Why, Doctor Sloane, for added reality, I thought that we could dispense with small trivialities, and just have a dagger to cut the food with, using our hands instead, just like olden days!" Steve rolled his eyes, stifling a laugh. "Time to mingle," Mark hastily replied, blushing furiously.
"Jesse ! When did you get here!" Steve clasped eyes on his friend, clad in a jester's outfit, in green from top to toe. "I kept quiet when I saw you and Mark arrive, and Heyy, like the outfit, Steve." "Its all in a good cause Jesse, Steve replied, "all this velvet and lace !"
The main hall was full of people from all walks of life. Doctors, nurses, police to name a few, all in various fancy costumes, and masked. In the corner, a string quartet was playing, softly filling the room with music.
The evening was going well, with people excited and chatting, looking forwards to the main event, the Charity Dance.
The butler appeared, summoned the gathering crowd with an almighty crash on the gong. "Ladies and Gentleman, Dinner is served."
The evening was set for a Charity Ball Event, to raise funds for the hospital, on a glorious summers evening. Three pips from the taxi broke the sound of laughter in the beach house. "C'mon, son! It's here!" exclaimed Mark, gingerly making his way down the steps in tiptoes, not wanting to scuff his new shoes.
"The hats! The hats, quickly!!!" Steve ran back to the house......"and the Masks too," chimed in Mark, forgetting the most important part of the costume, picking up two tricorned hats, and two velvet masks.
Breathless and laughing, Steve finally joined his father in the taxi. The journey was not long, but storytelling and jokes made it seem a shorter ride.
"Here we are," Mark said, "at last." Eager to get out of the confines of the taxi, and what a pleasant sight greeted the eye. One of the old colonial mansions in a fitting setting, bathed in sunset. "Doctor Sloane, what a wonderful surprise! And Steve, too," kissing them both, in a manner slightly over familiar. "This is indeed exciting, is it not?" exclaimed the tall woman. "Forgive me, my name is Darlene Masterton, the owner of this place, you see, I couldn't resist offering the hospital the chance to hold the ball here." "Allow me to escort you to the main hall." Steve was enjoying this, as he gave his father a sly wink. Ohhhh, Doctor Sloane, remember your masks. It IS a masked Ball, she laughed.
"Everyone has now arrived;" she gestured to the butler, with a sweep of her hand. "Ladies and Gentlemen, make yourself comfortable, help yourselves to drinks, dinner is served at eight o'clock."
"A medieval banquet" beamed Mark, "just like the Middle Ages!" Steve nodded, enjoying a large goblet of red wine. "Darlene," Mark asked anxiously, " just one question, Where are the knives and forks?"
"Why, Doctor Sloane, for added reality, I thought that we could dispense with small trivialities, and just have a dagger to cut the food with, using our hands instead, just like olden days!" Steve rolled his eyes, stifling a laugh. "Time to mingle," Mark hastily replied, blushing furiously.
"Jesse ! When did you get here!" Steve clasped eyes on his friend, clad in a jester's outfit, in green from top to toe. "I kept quiet when I saw you and Mark arrive, and Heyy, like the outfit, Steve." "Its all in a good cause Jesse, Steve replied, "all this velvet and lace !"
The main hall was full of people from all walks of life. Doctors, nurses, police to name a few, all in various fancy costumes, and masked. In the corner, a string quartet was playing, softly filling the room with music.
The evening was going well, with people excited and chatting, looking forwards to the main event, the Charity Dance.
The butler appeared, summoned the gathering crowd with an almighty crash on the gong. "Ladies and Gentleman, Dinner is served."