Predicaments

I've found that predicaments seem to follow me around like a very loyal dog. Not only do they follow me around but they seem to have become contagious and are now infesting those I associate with.

Last week my sister Molly invited me to attend a Jewelry Party with her. There are a million of these now. It all started with Mary Kay and suddenly exploded five years ago. Now there's Sensaria (lotion and skin stuff) Pampered Chef (kitchen ware) Tupper...something or other...it has an official name though I can't think of it just now, and now I've been introduced to this jewelry one...who's name I've also forgotten - darn memory.

When I'd asked Kyle earlier that day if he wouldn't mind me running off with my sister for an hour or so he was kind enough to warn me. "My mom hates those things," He'd said, "do you honestly think they're going to let you eat all their food and not want something in return?"

Needless to say I did not listen. I'd been to plenty of these little parties - I thought - and I was strong, I wouldn't allow them to snaggle me into anything.

Molly and I sat through this very long presentation of the jewelry and I nearly choked on my gum looking at the prices. How do People afford this? Especially in Provo of all places. And then the answer came clearly - Hosting. Hosting parties would quite literally allow you to take home nearly the entire catalog for half it's actual value - this was the pitch.

I thought...hmmm, free stuff that sounds cool - but so not worth all the hassel of finaggeling up a list of people (I'm sort of short on friends) coming up with something tasty to feed them, and not to mention having to sit through the very long very boring presentation again...please shoot me.

These thoughts zoomed in and out of my head as Molly and I made eyebrow movements to each other and secretly giggled at the audacity of it all.

Then we were cornered. I don't even know how it happened, the crazy presentation lady came up to us asking, or rather demanding, that we sign up for a host date, because oh my goodness they were going so fast. I tried to sneak out of her penetrating questions by saying, "well, you never know, I should check my schedule first," and every other excuse I could think of including "well my front room is quite small". Molly unfortunately was not so lucky. Her front room is not "quite small" and her friend, who was the host and the baker of the fine banana bread we were munching on, knew this.

"Oh Molly you're apartment is perfect!" She said as she overheard the conversation taking place.

Trapped! I couldn't help but giggle as Molly jotted down her information feigning excitement and pleasure at the thought of having the bizarre and very very happy presentation woman come and take over her house for an evening. Suggestion after suggestion ensued, once we'd left the party, of how to untangle ourselves from this mess. It was like a nightmare. How did it even happen? Who knows... but one thing I do know - I'll take my husbands' advice next time, he's smart and strangely clairvoyant.