The dreaded play is over! The Santa Clause was presented, ad lib, on two nights, Friday and Saturday, and the play was entirely different both nights. Personally, I had more fun Saturday nights. That's when I decided that "Will Lie" was really in love with me. So I planted the idea in everyone's head that he secretly loved me, even though he pretended to hate me. And that he was insanely jealous.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. The Ripley Library puts on a murder mystery dinner every year, although this year they did two, as fund raisers. The Santa Clause took place at the annual Christmas party of the law firm of Lie, Cheat and Steal. Unfortunately, A. "Big" Scam, who was slated to become senior partner, was found murdered two days before the party and the announcement, in his Santa suit and stuffed up his own chimney.

So Will Lie, founder and senior partner, appointed Ben DeToy as the new partner and Santa for the night. Unfortunately, during dinner the night of the party, Ben slumped over his dinner, dead!

Amidst characters like senior attorney Seymour Steal, his ex-wife Enid A Drink (lush and voodoo princess), partner Constance Cheat (who slept her way to the top), animal rights activist Shamus Steal, pharmaceutical magnate Marsh Mellow, and the vapid ditzy blonde Mary Christmas, among others, Gabby Gossip (c'est moi) wends her way through the characters and crowd, trying to pick up juicy tidbits she can put in her next gossip column.

Friday night, unfortunately for the those attending, was a dress rehearsal of sorts. It turned out all right, even though several key point were left out, but Saturday night was when we let it all loose. Gabby was circulating the tables of guests, vamping all the men, bribing the women with (phoney) $5 bills to seek out gossip for her. I had the brainstorm of taking my picture with various male audience members, compliments of their wives, and then showing them the photo and telling them, "Blackmail for later if you don't come through for me, sweetie." They LOVED it! LOL

In case you're interested, Marsha Mellow murdered both Big Scam and Ben DeToy because they knew of her plot to spread a deadly virus so that her company could get the fast track for FDA approval for the cure. She already HAD the cure, having kidnapped two of the foremost scientists in the world to come up with the cure, now she needed the leverage to get it out to the public and make a killing. (In a manner of speech.)