“So, I know this pub,” Fabian whispered to Charles behind his hand. “Meet me there as the sun goes down. Don’t let Veronica see you.”
Charles was affronted. “Don’t let Veronica see me?” he demanded. “Why should I be keeping secrets from my fiancee?”
“Charles,” Veronica singsonged from the kitchen. “Just say yes and meet him at the pub. And pretend I didn’t hear you.”
And so Charles found himself at Happy Sunset Pub at dusk before his wedding.
“Yahoo!” Fabian exclaimed as he walked in the door. “The man of the hour!”
“Well, I’m here,” Charles said, looking around. “What did you have in mind?”
“This here is your bona-fide bachelor party! It’s time to celebrate your last night of freedom!”
“OK, I understand that bachelor parties are a thing,” Charles said. “But don’t you think it’s kind of mysogynistic to equate marriage to slavery?”
“Awww,” Fabian wheedled. “Lighten up and have a good time. I didn’t get to do this when I got married, and I plan to have a great time no matter what you do. I even invited a surprise guest.”
“Sensei!” Charles exclaimed in delight.
Zhan Wu grinned as he strolled in. “One and the same! I told you I’d be in Sunset Valley eventually.”
“Now we’re rolling,” Fabian said, rolling his hands. “First we have to change you into something more appropriate.”
That set the tone, and things just rolled from there. Charles got a chance to catch up with Wu before guests started rolling in.
“It’s my lady-killing nephew!” Adjo exclaimed. “Congratulations in advance!” Adjo was looking pretty slick these days. He had abandoned management and gone back to making music. He was the front man for his own band, and he couldn’t look happier with his life.
When Jabari Keaton arrived, Charles pulled him aside quickly. “I know it’s kind of late, but I was wondering if you’d do me the honor of being my best man.”
“Ahah!” Jabari said. “I was hoping you’d ask me that. In fact, I was hoping so much that I prepared a little toast.”
“Oh dear,” Charles said. “You don’t have to say anything.”
“Nonsense!”
“Come one come all!” Jabari exclaimed. “I want to raise a glass to Charles Sample. He might seem a little dead on the outside, but I hear he’s really alive on the inside, if you know what I mean!”
It’s a good thing Charles couldn’t blush.
Somebody invited a very hot chick named Cherri Pie.
“She’s not my type,” Charles murmured to Fabian.
“She doesn’t need to be your type,” Fabian pointed out. “All you get to do is look anyway.”
The as the evening wore on and the nectar kept flowing, things got sillier.
And sillier.
And even more silly than that.
And then all hell broke loose.
“Damn you for stealing my girl!” It was a very drunk Willem Yo.
“Who let him in here!” Fabian cried frantically.
“Why kind of Neanderthal are you anyway?” Charles demanded. “You think Veronica was some kind of property of yours for me to steal?? She can do what she likes, and she broke up with you anyway.”
“We were going to get back together!” Willem roared. “We always got back together!”
“Don’t do it, Charles!” Wu yelled. “Don’t kick his ass! Remember your training!”
And in short order, the pub proprietor had pushed the entire lot of remaining drunk partiers out onto the street. They stood outside as the sun began to rise and the birds chirp, scratching their heads.
“What were we doing again?” asked Malcom Landgraab.
“I don’t remember,” said Willem, “but I think I’m going to be sick.”
“Great party!” drooled Jabari. “You really know how to have a good time!”
“Eh, you’re all boring anyway,” said Sean Flynn. “I’m sure I can find somebody who sucks a little better.”
And they all went home to sleep it off. Charles was getting married on the morrow.
“It was a good time,” Charles said later to Fabian. “Thanks for throwing it for me.”
“I’ve got your back, Charles,” Fabian said. “Always have. Glad you finally noticed.”
———-
My first bachelor party! I had a blast. This was actually my third attempt to figure out how the bachelor party works, and I’ll document that in a later Simfail post. It was cool that Wu was a vacationer in Sunset Valley while this was going on so I could invite him.
I really like the way the light reflects off Charles’s face in that first nectar-spraying shot. He really looks silver there.
Oh, yeah, and it’s been a long time since I threw a location party. In the past, I thought there was a clear in when people started to leave. Almost nobody left at this party. It ran until dawn and the pub kicked them out. Half of the group was starving and exhausted by that point. Charles got “horrible party” and “Groomzilla” moodlets, even though people seemed to be having a good time for most of it!
