Anniversary Party

It was Claudia and John’s twenty-fifth anniversary and the thirty-five guests were already several drinks into the festivities at the restaurant—a black and chrome stylish place where a decorated dining room with a separate table for gifts had been reserved for the party.

Claudia wore a long beaded dress and John looked dapper in a midnight blue tuxedo and they made a handsome couple dancing to oldies the deejay played after the elegant dinner.

At some point, long, rambling toasts were made, each sillier than the next, and the last toast of the evening was made by John himself, reeling with happiness and Merlot. He said, “I have an astounding gift for my wife, you ready for this?—it’s a divorce—yes, it is, truly, since I plan to spend the next twenty-five years of my life with Astrid, Claudia’s best friend; please stand Astrid and let all the guests see you. Yes, we are officially a couple, and Claudia, you are now free—to do whatever you want, whatever that is, but I won’t be here to see it because Astrid and I will be off, in fact right now; hope to see you all at our anniversary party!”

The guests made a rush for the gift table, grabbed their boxes and packages, and ran for the door leaving Claudia alone to drink the dregs in the abandoned wine glasses and to pay for the party.

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Comment by Angela on October 14, 2011 at 2:53pm
Shit.  That's about the worst I can imagine.  Glad it is not completely true, but likely not far from it, as it seems from the other comments.  Interesting tale, Toby.
Comment by Toby Tucker Hecht on October 14, 2011 at 11:06am
@ Jamie--in the real story, which was much different from this one, the girlfriend was not a friend of the wife's and was much younger.  I guess that's an old story.
Comment by Jamie Hogan on October 14, 2011 at 9:59am
Ugh. Glad that's fiction. I wonder, in the story on which it's "loosely based" if Claudia actually did anything to deserve this? If not, I hope she soon became an expert in poison delivery systems, and paid John a visit.
Comment by Teresa on October 13, 2011 at 1:48pm

John must have a brain tumor.  Either that, or Claudia did a bad, bad thing and he's just now taking care of payback.  I'm shocked at Joe's similar tale, that this sort of thing really happens.  I'm trying to imagine what I'd do in the position of either Astrid or Claudia.  I think the two women should have linked arms, shaken (shook?) their heads and walked out together.

Comment by Brittany on October 13, 2011 at 12:35pm
oh my gosh! that's beyond mean Toby! Poor Astrid, she has no idea what she's in for.
Comment by Toby Tucker Hecht on October 13, 2011 at 11:32am
@Joe...Yours is a more dramatic (and sadder) story.  I will be that there will be themes and variations on this in the friends and acquaintances lives of several 6S writers.  I guess schmuck-hood is not a rare thing.
Comment by Joe Gensle on October 13, 2011 at 10:35am
It happened, except for the bimbo's introduction. My best friend, Jim, in high school. His dad, drunk, at a country club's banquet room. With 200+ people attending their Silver (25th) Anniversary dinner. And when Jim and his humiliated mother got back home, movers or somebody had cleared-out everything but her clothes and a few pieces of furniture in the house. Well written, and shook every bone in my gelatinous body.
Comment by Kristine_ES on October 13, 2011 at 7:06am
ever read a story and it just stops you in your tracks? what a twist this story took!
Comment by Toby Tucker Hecht on October 13, 2011 at 6:16am
@Mike-This is fiction, but based loosely on a true story of a huge surprise one woman received on her anniversary.
Comment by Robert Crisman on October 13, 2011 at 4:33am
John, Astrid, those guests--I don't know where to begin. What a pack of werewolves!

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