Like most Halloween nights, the difference between what you think will happen and what actually transpires can be unbelievable. For example, the woman who owned the Korean restaurant we dined at thought I was Justin Bieber and insisted on feeding me. A few times actually - this particular time she put together a lettuce wrap with steak that would make P.F. Chang want to hang up his chopsticks forever. Crazy, unreal good. If Koreans eat like we did on a regular basis, their culture has learned to completely ignore calories, forever remaining skinny. No less than two soups, multiple plates of meats cooked on tabletop griddles, dozens on tiny bowls with colorful contents, a bucket of rice, several fish, noodles, more meats - after the first five courses I blacked out and woke up resting comfortably in my dessert. Far and away, one of the best meals here thus far.
Luckily for me, I had a sweet and thoughtful coworker named April who adopted me into her group of friends. Little Red Riding Hood periodically checked in to make sure all was well, namely that I didn't jam my chopsticks into my nose or burp loud enough for the other end of the table to hear - too late on both accounts.
After avoiding any major crises at dinner, let the night begin. We all put on some kind of getup and hit Tianmu, the side of town where April and I work and others reside. There was a big gathering in the town plaza, plenty merchants and vendors selling Halloween-themed treats, drinks and wares. Around the corner there was a haunted 'house' we walked through; lots of people, a few screams from my new friends but at the expense of sounding like a super manly man, I wasn't very frightened in the least. I've experienced scarier situations on laundry day. I have a feeling it's because the haunted houses and trails in Connecticut, where people chase you with revved up chainsaws, is a little more worrisome than a short man behind a curtain with Hello Kitty backpack. Still scary, different reason.
After party, excellent. Grab some adult beverages, a karaoke room, cool people, strange circumstances, mix thoroughly and you've got a good time. The new location was the basement in an apartment building where somebody lived. A comfortable room, complete with professional karaoke systems built in, was the staging area for a night of hysterics.
The Taiwanese have a liquor called kaoliang (pronounced 'gow-lee-ung') which is similar to rocket fuel in strength and tequila in taste. A clear solvent, capable of softening concrete, was the catalyst for my nonstop spectacular renditions of Franky Valli's "Can't Take My Eyes Off", Michael Jackson's "Black and White" and outrageous dance moves unfamiliar in the Taiwanese culture.
A few hours later - Drunk Red Riding Hood is comforting a wobbly Snow White, Michael Jackson can't moonwalk a straight line, the Taiwanese ghost disappears and the karaoke machine is silent. Empty bottles and cans, Halloween accessories everywhere, communications in Chinese and English breaking down. Tomorrow morning is going to be...damn, right now.
Great success! An excellent time! Somehow, a few guests were over-served but the authorities are out right now looking for suspects. This Smooth Criminal is Bad, considered Dangerous and should Beat It before there's Blood On The Dance Floor.
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough.
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