Victim of the Query Shark

By Paula Matter

My very good friend Annette Dashofy knows how to keep a secret. She did not tell anyone about my plan to crash the Pennwriters costume party at the conference last weekend. *

As the official conference photographer, Annette took some fantastic shots. Go check out her blog to see some of them. http://annettedashofy.blogspot.com/ She sent me the following photos so I could upload them today. Thanks, Annette!

Earlier in the evening, I had begged agent Janet Reid to attend the party. Awesome person that she is, it didn't take much begging. Janet likes to make people think she's mean and tough, but a lot of us know better.

Yeah. I said it.

By the time Janet popped in, I'd been in that costume for about 15 minutes. Warm and stuffy. She showed up, I got the laugh I wanted. I couldn't wait to get out the costume.

Then someone dared me to traipse through the hotel lobby in my costume. Since I would've been the kid to stick my tongue on a frozen pole, I was off in a flash. Of course, there were two long hallways to go down before reaching the lobby. With parties and people everywhere.

I found friends in the lobby (and made some new ones along the way), and all I remember is the flash of lots of cameras. And shouting. And laughing. I loved every single minute of it. I live to make people laugh.

 Except it was getting warmer and stuffier by the minute. I pulled off the costume and plopped down on a

bench. See the hat Annette is wearing? True friend that she is, she tossed it on my head to hide my sopping wet hair. I stuffed the shark in a bag and we returned to the party.

Someone offered to buy me a drink if I would crash the prom going on in the courtyard. That's all it took. The shark came out of the bag. Back down the long hallways, through the immense lobby, past the other parties.

Loud, very loud rap music was playing when I strutted into the courtyard. Giggles, laughter, high fives all around. There are no photos of this because Annette said she was laughing too hard. 

The shark went back into the bag and I gulped down my drink. I went outside for some fresh air and met a woman who said she'd heard about someone dressed up like a shark. I admitted to the deed. She begged me to show it to her and her friend in the bar.

Back to the party where I pulled the shark out of the bag, walked down the halls, through the lobby and into the bar. Laughter, yadda yadda yadda. I shoved the shark into the bag, went back outside for some more fresh air.

After cooling off, and with my hair fairly dry, I returned to the party. I was told I was in the running for Best Costume. Or Funniest. Or Original. I offered to put the costume back on. Five of us stood at the front of the room with the party hostess. Ayleen Stellhorn, conference coordinator, was appropriately dressed as Wonder Woman. 

 

Here I'm being asked "Who are you?" My answer, "Victim of the Query Shark."

Winners were chosen by the volume of the audience's applause. My turn came and the response was overwhelming. The thunderous applause and cheers made up for all the overheating, stuffiness, and sweat.

Would I do it again? Only if someone double-dogged-dared me. Who am I kidding? I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

*I already did this in person, but a very special thanks to Ayleen for letting me crash her conference.

And just for fun.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLAYvjaGGqM&feature=related