'Tis confusion!

Sal Sleeps

We were only halfway down the street when Sal started to yawn. 

Murr began teasing him immediately. "What's wrong, Sal, you miss your afternoon nap?" Sal frowned. "Yeah, that's it. James, sometimes you're so funny I forget to laugh."

"Cut Sal a break, " Barbara told Murr. "We didn't fall asleep until almost four this morning."

"I wonder why," Murr and Q said simultaneously.

"Funnnnnyyyy," Sal replied. He grabbed Barbara's hand and squeezed it.  "If I fall asleep on you at the movie, I'm sorry," he told her.

"If you fall asleep during the movie, all you'll really be doing is providing us fodder for a future prank," Q told him. " But look at it this way, it just might replace that photo we used of you as employee of the month at Ikea..and at the mall photographers'..and White Castle..."

"Ok ok, I get it," Sal said, but he was smiling. I see Joe's car ahead, let's go meet up." We quickened our pace and regrouped with Joe and Bessy. By Q's watch, we only had fifteen minutes until the half-priced movies started. 

"Does everyone want funny, or scary?" Emily asked.

Amazingly, it was unanimous. "Scary." Q read the marquee sign above our heads. "Looks like the horror choices are  "Don't go Knocking" or ..."The Rocky Horror Picture Show? Seriously? Oh, we HAVE to see that. I freaking love that movie." Q looked around. "Does anyone care that I pretty much decided for everyone just now?"

"I love this movie. It's been ages since I've seen it in theaters." I told him. Sal and Murr were nodding. Barbara frowned. "I don't think I've ever seen it. Isn't it supposed to be really weird?"

"You don't know the half of it," Joe told her. "They give you prop bags and you get to throw stuff at the screen."

"What kinda stuff?"

"Rice, toast, playing cards.. there's a scene where it rains and people shoot squirt guns..you wear paper hats..it's the most ridiculous thing, but it's a blast. Bessy and I go every year for Halloween when they do the midnight showings." Bessy added, "Last year we all went as characters from the movie. Somewhere out there is photographic evidence of Murr in rainbow striped hot pants." Sal groaned. "Oh god, why did you have to remind me? Does anyone have any brain bleach?"

Murr frowned. " Yeah, well, there's also proof of Sal in fishnets and a feather boa, which, one could argue, is even more embarrassing." 

At this point I turned to Q. " So if I'm getting this right, Murr was Colombia, and Sal was..Brad?" Q nodded. "Spill it, who were you?"

"Uhm..."Q trailed off, and Murr jumped in. "Seeing as how he doesn't seem to remember...he was Magenta. " My mouth dropped. "Really?"

Q sighed. "Really. This happened the same year we had the four way hair stylist punishment. My hair was still orange, and they made me put the curlers in. Worst decision ever." I laughed. "Please tell me you have photos. "

"Not on your life, woman,"Q told me. "What Joe failed to mention is his costume."

"Let me guess, Rocky? Gold short shorts?"

Sal cracked up. "Yeah, Joe as Rocky. Sure. Maybe if Rocky were created in a Krispy Kreme and not a lab... He was Frank. Pearls, heels, lipstick and all." I burst out laughing. "Oh, wow. Bessy, who were you?"

"Janet, of course." she said. She winked at Q. "I wanted  to go as Magenta, but somebody wouldn't let me."

"And by somebody, she means Sal. God knows why he was dead set on getting me in that maid outfit. But let's continue this conversation later..or never. Ideally, never." Q stepped up to the ticket booth. "Hey there. Do you guys still have plenty of seats for the Rocky Horror screening?"

"We do," said the worker. "But they aren't part of the half price deal since we give you the prop bag."

"Fair enough." Q opened his wallet. "Two,please."

"Twelve dollars." Q handed the guy his money, and got two tickets. Sal was next in line, then Joe, then Murr. They all bought two tickets apiece. The guy behind the counter handed us all brown paper bags, and we headed inside. We stopped at the concession stand and looked briefly at the menu. "I'm kinda thirsty," I told Q. "Same. Want to split something?" "Ok! How's a frozen Coke sound?" Q nodded. "Sounds good to me."

 I stepped up to the counter. "Large frozen coke please."

"Sorry," the girl behind the counter said, "Coke machine is broken. We have frozen blue raspberry, or frozen Dr Pepper,"

"Frozen Dr Pepper," Q and I said in one voice. The girl giggled. "You got it, guys." She grabbed a large cup and filled it to the top. "Anything else?" I surveyed the candy counter. "A box of sour gummy bears?" "Sure thing." she grabbed it and plopped it on the counter next to the Dr Pepper. "That's eleven-fifty." 

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Q pull his wallet out. As quickly as I could, I pulled money out of my jeans pocket. "Not a chance." I shoved the money across the counter. "Thank you." I glanced at Q. "I truly appreciate the attempt, but you've paid for so much these last couple of days. Let me treat you. Speaking of treat," I added, while reaching into my jeans pocket, "I got you these at that cd shop..I hope you like them." I handed him the pins. He read them and laughed, then slid them in his pocket. "These are great, Mara, thank you." He hugged me. "Now, how about that movie?"

"Sounds great." The eight of us got our tickets ripped, then headed into the theater.