My legs are in shock. They haven’t been this exposed all year. They are strikingly white, especially so contrasted as they are against the black of the dress I wear. A little black dress, bought from the thrift store in Lander for $4. Now how’s that for a bargain?
The pink strappy high-heals were $3. The hat, gaudy and awesome with a mesh veil, was $5. $12 total, and I spent more than most. The guys spent less that $5 each. Everything we wear was bought from the thrift store. That was the requirement for our end-of-the-season-costume-party. Fancy-dress-party more like it. Chicken Camp Prom.
All 4 girls are decked out in black dresses. Megan and Gail wear prom-worthy gowns, Gail with straps criss-crossing her back and Megan with rhinestones and a white sash. Jessica’s short black dress is covered by a flashy sequined dress-robe. We stand out in these parts, and get more than a few comments when we visit the Lander Bar dressed as we are.
Even the guys have gone all out. Jeff is suited up in grey with plastic casino bling around his neck, Chris is sporting slacks and a tie, Mike has a Leo worthy sweater and ponytail, and Will’s a flashy cowboy with red shirt and circle glasses and a straw hat. Alan’s wearing a vest over a flashy shirt that would be fitting on Dr. Jacobi, and Scott was the most daring of all, with a poofy vest over a sleeveless shirt and a bucket-like hat. Oh we are quite the sight, to be sure.
We are dressed like this in Lander Bar, sharing our last happy hour in Lander. Then off we go to Hudson for a fancy-dress dinner of steaks at the well known Svilar’s. Then next door to the much-talked-about but never-ventured-into Union Bar, where we find a surprisingly and pleasingly friendly cround, even to us weirdos.
Then finally, the coup de gras, off to the opening of the new Wind River Casino in Riverton. A dry establishment and unfortunately disappointing and slightly depressing, the casino’s slot machines are still largely covered in plastic and non-functional, and the only gaming option is slot machines. No card tables just yet. Which means there’s nothing for it but to blow $10 in the machines then proceed to avoid a guy following Jess and I to take our photo for “prom.”
But we’re not done yet. Oh no. Just picture this: We’re back at camp and still dressed in our Thrift Store Drags. We’re out in Cornhole Alley where we’ve moved some of our rock speakers, and they are quickly wired up and blasting out dance worthy tunes. We’re in the dark, lit by the dim light of the trailer’s porch light and the strobe light of a headlamp strapped to the stair rail. And we’re dancing. We’re drunk on Bob, a dangerous concoction of Everclear, Gatorade, and Red Bull, and we are dancing unencumbered. We’re having a blast.
This is just what we need: a final crazy night together. A last fun not-goodbye.Tomorrow we loose two crew members. By Thursday it’ll just be four of us. We’ll have goodbyes for real soon enough. Now, now it’s time to have fun. Dress Party Dance Party fun.
