Thursday night I attended the United Kingdom Trade and Investment division holiday party at the Punch Grill. It was a themed party where everyone had to solve a murder and played a character the whole night. What I knew ahead of time and nobody else did was that my character (a high class attorney about to be named partner) was going to die before dinner. What I didn’t know is that when I was given a new character after death (as is the custom in this game) I would be come “Georgio, the gigolo.” I prayed someone would murder me again. No luck though. My new character was an “extra”; meaning he didn’t play an important role in the play. As such for a few hours nobody really had any reason to talk to me (no clues to give anyway- and their instructions didn’t mention me) – so I tried to learn how to say a few words in Mandarin from Beverly’s father (who was experiencing a similar lack of attention).

“Cha” means fork, by the way.

The setting and the food was (if I may quote the imitable William S. Preston Esquire) most excellent. I was informed early on that the restaurant did not use peanuts or peanut oil in any of it’s dishes, which left me free to gobble on every appetizer without discretion. The main course was (by choice) steak, vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes. Desert was some kind of chocolate fudge concoction in a coffee cup.

Beverly’s character had been the office secretary (who happens to be sleeping with Ben – the attorney). The rubber band around the bridge of the glasses was my idea 😉

This is me dead (note the santa hat)