General   (General discussion, talk about anything.)

mollie,

I had a similar, if rather bizarre experience.

It was in the 1970's. I had been invited to a New Years Eve costume party thrown by a rather famous female impersonator. A friend who was a beautician persuaded me, with her help, to attempt to upstage him by 'making an entrance' as Madame Butterfly, with the full musical accompaniment.

I'll skip the costume detail, save that my hair put up, and a squished up wig on top, to look like a Japanese double bun, and concealing between them the hidden tape recorder for my entrance music. The wooden knitting needles, acting as Japanese hair pins controlling the recorder.

All was well until a traffic accident brought the journey to a halt. When the policeman knocked on the side window to tell me I had to reverse out of the one way street, he got a blast of 'Un bel dì' as I turned my head and the needle activated the recorder having brushed the car headlining. Anyway, he jumped in and reversed the car for me.

The cars moved to the police car park, and all us drivers to police canteen to enjoy their hospitality until street was cleared.

Then, I became aware that I was the last driver remaining, all the rest had been reunited with their cars.

Should I be worried? It is not illegal to go about dressed as Madam Butterfly. Are they going to say I had compromised my ability to be in control of the vehicle with pins catching the headlining?....

I need not have worried. It soon became apparent they had not detained me for such reasons, but they were waiting to finish their shift, and come to the party!

They persuaded me to leave my car, so I could have a drink. Gave me the keys so that I could collect it at my convenience, and they would drive me to the party.


So, I arrived at said party in a police car, and the snow round about was now a couple of feet deep.

On my feet was a hastily constructed DIY lookalike of these:


They would have fallen apart in the snow.

So, I made my entrance, accompanied by the music, and carried in by four policemen!

I did tell some of the party goers to be careful with the cannabis, that they were real policemen. I do not think anyone believed me, but they were good sports and did not create any problem for anyone. One of them became a close personal friend for some years thereafter.