A-Z Challenge Day 1

Friday April 1

It's day one of the A-Z Challenge. This year I have chosen to use obscure or unfashionable words within my stories. Today's neglected word is:-

Absquatulate (v) (abˈskwa-CHəˌlāt) To discreetly leave a gathering or party without informing the host.

It started badly. I didn’t want to be there anyway. Parties are not my thing, especially when you hardly know a soul. I sort of stand alone, nibble food, sip wine, sway to the music and occasionally smile at a passing reveller who more often than not gives me a blank stare in return. So this time, I decided to be positive. Be the life and soul of the party. Make a mark!

Unfortunately, the red wine I slopped on the cream carpet was not exactly the mark I had in mind. Unperturbed, I grabbed the hand of a young lady and swept her into the centre of the dancing hoard. I was however, somewhat overenthusiastic and she slipped from my sweaty grasp.  The poor lass flew across the room, shot through the kitchen door, and collided with a food-laden table scattering much of its fare hither, thither and beyond. The floor instantly became akin to a skating rink with cake, dips various, and cream trifle beneath the feet of the hapless feeders. Everyone started slipping and sliding, some even landed on their backsides. Carnage!

I decided the time had come to absquatulate. I slipped away to the front door and looking over my shoulder, I gingerly started opening it hoping that my escape would go unnoticed. Quite why a latecomer chose that very moment to arrive I really don’t know but arrive he did and he barged the door unaware that I was the other side. I found myself squashed against the wall with a bleeding nose surrounded by shards of glass. I hope that mirror wasn’t valuable.

Casualty departments are quite unpleasant places in the early hours of a Sunday morning. Even more so when the young lady sitting beside you is covered in food and nursing a broken wrist.

Tomorrow's story is called 'Nothing ventured' and it contains three neglected words.

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