Date: Thu, 17 Oct 1996 12:18:07 -0700 (PDT)
From: Dave Howell
To: Brian Phillips
Subject: Re: live roleplay
Believe it or not, I'm actually finally getting around to sending you that material on the murder mystery party we talked about some six weeks ago. I don't know if it's too late to be useful or not, but here it is anyway. I do apologize for being so terribly not with it about this.
I don't think it's complete, but these are the files I found.
Murder Mystery Party:
Olympia Scenario
# Character Gender
1 Prominent Local Businessman m
2 Cook e
3 Butler m
4 U. S. Senator George Meltz (v) m
5 Mrs. Meltz f
6 Military General-type m
7 US Spy Contact/Double Agent e
8 German Spy e
If female, could come as date to Local Politician.
9 Draft Dodger m
10 Local Politician m
11 Successful War Wife f
12 Female Impersonator (or German) m
13 Chanteuse/Actress (Claire) f
14 Local Madam (Dorothy) f
Gender: m=male, f=female, e=either.
Being thrown as a fundraiser for the War Effort. Red Cross support. This is a
campaign year, and Meltz needs money. Presidential candidate.
Setting is Olympia, Washington, April 22, 1944: a wealthy local businessman's
house.
The host is appalled at the thought of this hitting the papers, and in an effor
to contain the damage, is very reluctant to call the police. The party is some
distance in the countryside, and the police may not arrive for a while.
The object exchanged by the spies during the party is a film canister that
actually contains the solution to the murder. The US spy who arrives with the
film will be told that the film is not protected in the canister, so opening it
anywhere but a darkroom will expose it and ruin it.
The actress and the senator will arrive shortly after the party starts at 6.
Other people will arrive before 6:30. Instructions will allow (encourage) people
to be fashionably late.
Everyone should be aware of what the hot movies are during the time, as well as
most major stories and events.
1. PHILLIP CORRIDON (PLAYED BY DAVE), A PROMINENT LOCAL BUSINESSMAN.
Ship building. Presently doing military work (results in aquaintance with
senator and General), and business is fine. Some work is classified.
Phillip is embezzling funds from the government contracts. Cook finds out,
(perhaps general, actress, and madam know as well?), and P tries to kill the
cook, but attempt goes awry, and Senator dies instead? Also, P's will leaves a
substantial amount to the help.
Fond of betting on horses, but not to a great extent. (red herring)
Possible prop: racing form.
Cook attemps to kill PHil with cyanide in the coffee served with dessert.
However, the Senator dies first, PHil never drink the coffee, and the cook
thinks that she made a mistake.
2. ALVIA DUNNEGAN, COOK
She is aware of her employer's embezzling of shipbuilding funds. Phillip is
going to write her out of his will, and the butler finds out. Because the butler
and cook are secret sweethearts, he tells her when he learns of this by reading
the new will that Phil carelessly left laying on his desk. In desperation, she
decides to kill Phillip before he can clear the new will, by poisoning his coffee
with cyanide during dessert.
3. JACKSON HOLLINGBERRY, BUTLER
4. SENATOR GEORGE MELTZ
5. MRS. BERNICE MELTZ
Childhood sweethearts. She plays the part of the dutiful senator's wife, but
when she married Georgy, she hadn't realized that he was headed toward politics.
She hates being a Senator's wife, with the parties, (both giving and receiving),
bizarre social innuendo, backbiting, and maneuvering, and such. She wants to
settle down on a little farmhouse in a little town. Say, L.A.? Rich is nice,
though, so how to not be the wife of Meltz but still be the keeper of the Meltz
millions? She knows certain things about him that have cooled whatever affection
she still felt for him, although certain facts have yet to come to light.
6. GENERAL
He is just attending the party because he has to rendezvous with an unknown
American secret agent to retrieve some film. He does not know the identity of
this person.
7. US/DOUBLE AGENT.
Name: Edward MacKenzie Alias: Richard Hamm Age: 26
Has arranged to be at this party in the guise of a reasonably well-to-do
wildcatter from Dallas, where he did indeed spend some time, however, most of
his info is out-of-date.(12 years old)
Senator knows that this person is a spy, and may be a double agent for the Axis
forces.
He's actually selling selected secrets to the Italians.
8. GERMAN SPY HELGA DURCHWALD (ALIAS MARIE BONSOUTE)
Kills Senator thinking that he is the contact that the General is meeting.
Misled by the actress.
Attending the party because the spy is aware that an exchange will be made
between a US courier and the General in attendance. Helga's job is to intercept.
However, the actress, before dinner, tells this person a fact that (hopefully)
causes Helga to believe that the senator is the courier, and will kill him and,
claiming medical skills, examine the body for the film canister.
She's a nurse working in DC, who moved from Mississippi (her folks are Creole)
and has been seeing the General for about a month. She's 24, and met the General
in a cafe across from the hospital. She came up to him because he had on his
uniform, and is so greatful to the men in the army. You know, a patriotic type
southern girl. (Yea, right.)
9. WESLEY MITCHELL, SON OF WIDOW OF WEALTLY LOCAL BUSINESSMAN.
The former Mr. John Mitchell, and wife Agnes.
Unknowingly a draft dodger. The widow is bribing the Senator to prevent his son
from being drafted. Senator wants more money, son is considering killing Meltz.
Is Meltz really son's father? (yes)
Mother is arranging (via bribery (and other methods)) to make sure son's name
does not come up on the draft. Family is wealthy, son has (perhaps) found out
about what Mom is doing as might be willing to kill Meltz.
Bribery started with money, and Meltz, in financial trouble, has added favors to
this.
Son is not aware that he is 'ineligible', nor that he is Meltz's son. Has found
out that his mother is being blackmailed, and has used family money and
influence to attend this fund raiser. Possibly to kill, or perhaps to try to
convice, or maybe just to find out what's going on.
Questions: family names, where the wealth comes from, possible ancestors, names
to drop, contacts in washington.
Is aquainted with Knute Hill (see Ellensburg paper Apr. 14, front page), as is
Meltz. Knute is running for Governor.
One story to discuss is "Mother and Son Guilty on Draft, (Apr. 14 column 3)"
10. LOCAL POLITICIAN FREDERICK STILLWELL.
Having an affair with a female impersonator, Diana. If this gets out, his career
will be ruined. Finds out at the party that Meltz and Diana were a number in
Washington (does General spill the beans?) Is afraid that Senator might just do
that. Motive!
Washington State Representative (Spokane county).
11. ABIGAIL JOHNSON, LOCAL RED CROSS ADMINISTRATOR.
Earlier, Abby's only son, Harold, was scheduled to go to an assignment in the
support crew at Ft. something or other, but at the last minute his orders sent him
to the German front, an assignment that she found disturbing. Strangely, the
draft board appears to have reccomended the change. Her son was subsequently
killed. Abigail now blames the draft board, which she sees as a den of corruption
and nest of thieves, as being responsible for the death of her son, and she has
vowed vengeance. She is clearly not running on an even keel.
Abby is the local director for the Olympia Red Cross, responsible for whatever
these people do.
Husband has run off with a USO dancer, due to Abby's "strange fixation" on her
son's fate.
Knows of the senator, and what he does (draft board).
Local politician has dropped by the Red Cross.
Knows US spy, who has been using the Red Cross as one of his covers.
Acquainted with mother of Wes Mitchell, and hates him, because he has not yet
been called to war.
This character has the option due to crazed anger to murder other characters
outside of the main scenario. Specifically, if she finds out why Wes hasn't gone
to war, and has an opportunity, she may kill him. Don't be this explicit in info
packet.
12. DIANA PRINCE
In reality, male (German), and in the second of two torrid love affairs, now
with the local politician Fred Stillwell. She has just recently concluded a
painful breakup with the Senator, and her anger has grown over the shameless way
he treated her.
(It should be noted that if the truth of Diana ever gets out, both political
careers will be ruined, and Diana herself will be in big trouble.)
13. ACTRESS CLAIRE L'ENCHANTE
Formerly worked for Dorothy Ross in a "professional" capacity.
Hoping to break into movies. Now a bondsgirl, selling war bonds. "Starred" in
the little advertisments for bonds shown before movies or during intermission.
No particular reason for wanting the Senator dead, oddly. She doesn't like him,
thinks he's a philanderer and a sleaze. He occasionally dallied with her when
she was imployed by Dorothy the madam, but that's all...
Early during the party, the senator hopes to rekindle old (paid) flames, and
pulls her into a private room to convince her of this. She slaps him, and the
conversation lags, oddly :).
She glares at him for the rest of his life.
The butler also visited her when she was an employee of Dorothy.
Wes is infatuated with her since seeing her in a war bonds clip.
14. DOROTHY ROSS, LOCAL SUCCESSFUL MADAM.
Doesn't know about affair with Diana Prince.
Age: 33
She and the senator grew up together, and he thinks that she seems familiar, but
can't place the face. After the separated, she became a multiple murder, killing
her husband and children. The event was prominent enough that if her old name
(Ethel Scrivillo) comes out, the chances are very good that someone will remember
the story, and she will go to jail for a very long time. So will she kill the
senator to prevent the story getting out, or will someone else get to him first?
Or did she pay the butler to kill him?
The multiple murder occured in Dallas about 12 years ago, and the US spy will
know of the event in particular.
MUSIC:
- Tommy Dorsey
- Benny Goodman
- Lionel Hampton
- Duke Ellington
- Glenn Miller
- Artie Shaw
- Rudy Vallee
- Gene Autry
- Bing Crosby
- Frank Sinatra
- Woody Herman
- Fats Waller
- Spike Jones
- King's Men
- Count Basie
- Harry James
- Sammy Kaye
- Kate Smith
- Lena Horne
- Andrews Sisters
V-Discs: A History and Discography, Richard S. Sears (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood
Press, 1980) -- for information about contemporary music.
The Pacific Northwest in World War II, Carlos A. Schwantes, ed. (Manhattan,
Kansas: Sunflower University Press, 1986) -- for background information on the
region.
Character Dossier
BERNICE MELTZ
Well, you've been married to George Meltz, the U.S. Senator from Washington
State for about thirty years now, and it's been downhill all the way. As in,
you've been feeling lower and lower ever since the marriage. What did you ever
see in him, anyway? Well, he was a law student, and you were earning a teaching
certificate at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. What you were really
after was an MRS degree, and George seemed like a good catch: a lawyer from a
rich family. Too bad he turned out to be such a jerk. Saying he takes you for
granted is a little weak. You've had to prepare countless parties, talk to
countless people, and shake countless hands on his behalf, and he clearly thinks
that this is a duty of yours, since he never thanks you for it. You'd hoped he'd
settle into some nice law firm instead of this political career.
But you could get by with this, if that's all it was. But it's not. You first
heard about ten years after you were married. Seeing prostitutes you could
understand, even if it hurt. But the affairs! One after another. Who knows how
many you don't ever hear of! Not that you've ever said anything to him! He'd
probably laugh in your face. No, not even that. He'd probably say "So what."
And now this party at Phillip Corridon's. He's only going because it's a great
place to be seen, and he wants to be President. President of the United States.
The party is actually a fund-raiser for the war effort. Assistance to the Red
Cross or some such. The important thing is that this is a perfect opportunity.
You've finally had enough. It's time to get rid of George and get on with your
life. Can't divorce him; he wouldn't agree, might hurt his chances to be
nominated for President.
You'll have to kill him.
It's all so simple, really. You just wait for dessert. There's always dessert.
George has this incredibly annoying habit of nibbling off your plate. If you
only pick at your dessert, he's sure to ask you for it, or just reach over and
start forking pieces of it. So, you'll take a little bag of, oh, rat poison,
that ought to work. Put it on your dessert, and wait. You can deal with the
dessert and call it food poisoning, or a heart attack, or some such. Yes. You'll
be arriving in Olympia on the 13th to attend the party on the 14th, so you won't
have a lot of time. Phillip's is a ways out in the country, too.
Some people from your past, or rather Georges': The first affair you heard about
was someone in Olympia, as a matter of fact. A young woman named Agnes Mitchell.
Then there's that horrible Miss Dorothy Ross, who runs the local brothel. There's
also the most recent lady of his, whom you've never met. She goes by the name
Diana Princess, or Prince, or King, something like that. You're long beyond
caring at this point.
A more positive acquaintance, one whom you expect to see at the party, is Fred
Stillwell, the Washington Representative from Spokane County. You met him early
in George's career, and may be one of the reasons that he is in politics now. A
dear man, very nice.
A stranger person is the director of the Olympia Red Cross, Abigail Johnson.
She's very twitchy about the war. According to her, her only son, Harold, was
supposed to have a nice safe desk job, but he got moved to the German front,
where he was killed. Abigail blames the draft board, and has on a number of
occasions said rude and disturbing things to you about your husband, who is a
member of the national draft board. She's been worse since her husband ran of
with a USO dancer, a young thing in a skirt. You're not sure whether to feel
sorrier for her losing her husband, or you because your's hasn't done the same
thing.
Character Dossier
CLAIRE L'ENCHANTE
Age 24
Actress
You grew up in Olympia, and was always a natural beauty. You were a talented
actress in high school, but your looks got you more roles than normal. You're an
only child, your mom having died in childbirth. Your father resented you for
taking his wife away from him, and as he saw you grow up, accused you of using
your body to get favors from others. You lived with your father until you
graduated from school, but then he kicked you out. Youy tried living on the
streets, but if you ever got caught, the police would take you to someone else's
house to live. In despiration, you came to the employment of Dorothy Ross, the
local madam.
Your looks let you choose who you wanted as clients, and they paid handsomely.
Dorothy, having worked up in the business, let her girls keep most of what they
earned. Not a very smart way to make a profit, but better for the girls. Your
life there could have been better, but it also could have been a whole lot worse.
Mostly you chose your customers, but every once in a while you would take on a
new one, unfortunely some of them you wouldn't want to even meet. One customer
in particular outshines them all in sleeze. George Meltz. A disgusting man, he
never leaves you alone when he comes to Olympia, even though you only slept with
him once.
But that was about three years ago, and best forgotten. After five years working
there, you had enough money to go to hollywood, where your looks got you a role
in a War Bonds "clip" that is played before shows in movie theater's all around
the country. That's your "foot in the door" in Hollywood, and you have confidence
that you'll be a big star.
To go along with your new fame, you get to be seen at the social events of your
home town, Olympia. The latest party is at the home of Philip Corridan, a wealthy
ship builder and bachelor. The party is to raise money for the Red Cross, and
will be in every newspaper in Washington. Unfortunately, that slime, George Meltz
is going to be at the party also. Hopefully he won't talk to you. Another
interesting thing, it seems that Wes Mitchell has become fascinated with you
since seeing you in the War Bonds add. On an upper note, your old boss, Dorothy
Ross, is there. She was always nice to you, although at the moment she looks a
bit nervous.....
Instructions:
Arrive promptly at the party. Senator Meltz will approach you some time early
in the party. He will draw you reluctantly into another room where he will ask
for another fling with you for old times sake. Meaning without money. Slap
him. Return to the party and glare at him for the rest of his life.
Character Dossier
ALVIA DUNNEGAN
You are a cook in the employ of Phillip Corridon, a successful shipbuilder. You
have been employed by him for almost twelve years. While at first the job was
quite delightful, as the years went by you began to suspect that Mr. Corridon
wasn't a very nice man. As a matter of fact, you just recently found out that he
is actually embezzling funds from his own company, overcharging the government
that is buying the ships his shipyards are turning out. You overheard this at a
meeting between him and some other gentlemen. You always were prone to
eavesdropping, and you are an inveterate gossip.
Naturally, you're somewhat Irish, although you are fourth generation American.
Your parents were farmers, wiped out by the drought and the Great Depression, and
are both deceased. You dream of heading back to Ireland one day, with the fabled
green hills and heather. Other than this fantasy, you are a reasonably down-to-
earth sort of cook, and don't tolerate shenanigans well, especially by people
pestering you in your kitchen while you are cooking.
Just recently Mr. Corridon hired a new butler, Jackson Hollingberry, and you and
the butler have become very well acquainted. You find yourself thinking that it
would be so nice for you and he to just head off to Ireland and grow sheep, or
something. You wouldn't say you were in love, exactly, since that's so, so,
unsensible! But you would like to spend more time with him than duty allows.
However, the most dreadful thing has happened. Jackson was in cleaning the
master's office yesterday, and found that Phillip had left certain papers out on
his desk. One of them indicated that he was looking for a new cook, and the other
was his will, where the section that had left a remarkably large proportion of
the estate to his hired help had been amended to leave it all to charity!
Something has clearly gone wrong! He probably found out that you overheard his
embezzling, and he's getting rid of you to prevent any more acts like that. You
have no savings, and little hope for employment anytime soon. There isn't much
demand for cooks in Olympia these days. And the money! Here is the answer to your
dreams of settling in Ireland, and it materializes just in time to be snatched
away! It's not fair at all. You won't be able to see Jackson, although, who
knows, maybe he's going to get fired as well, and Mr. Corridon is stealing from
the Government! Why, that's treason, isn't it?
Close to tears, there is only one solution. He just has to have a heart attack or
something and die before he can change his will. The government will be happy,
and you and Jackson will be happy, and Ireland will be happy. Jackson has some
books about detectives and stuff, and you quickly paw through them looking for
the name of a poison. Cyanide! There's a poison. Let's see, the person in the
story couldn't breath, and thrashed his arms. That sounds like a heart attack,
even!
That'll show that nasty Mr. Corridon.
You can just pop into town before the dinner, and pick up some from the
pharmacist or someone. Rats, you need it to kill rats or moles or something. Um,
they're eating the victory garden plants. Yes, that's one of your duties is
tending the victory garden.
The nice thing about going into town is that you can pick up the latest juicy
tidbits. You've heard that the guest of honor at the dinner, Senator Meltz, and
his wife don't get along well at all. There have been rumors about those two ever
since the marriage. Some people say that she had to, although they don't have any
children. Other people have said that someone else would have had to marry the
Senator, but he already was. He fools around, you know, something terrible. Why,
Belle, a local prostitute, was telling you just the other day that her boss,
Dorothy Ross, was telling her that the old senator didn't get by much any more,
and everyone knows how often he used to drop by! She said that there was another
woman who had swept the senator off his feet, and then dumped him! When he's been
back in town, he's been seen spending a lot of time with Agnes Mitchell. Agnes is
a widow, and maybe she's just lonely. She does have a son, Wesley, to keep her
company, but who knows how long that will last. It's a miracle that Wes hasn't
already been drafted. It's been said that the board doesn't want to draft him,
but that doesn't make sense. On the other hand, the Senator is on the board...
Poor Agnes. Her husband Fred died of consumption in 1928, and Agnes got jumpy.
She just doesn't understand things like stocks and all that sort of thing. She
moved all the money just before the market crashed, and ended up with a tidy sum,
she did. Her son Wesley is quite the excitable one, prone to just flying off the
handle, he is. Odd that Fred and Wesley don't look a thing alike...
You're delighted to find out that Claire is coming to dinner. Claire L'Enchante
used to work for Miss Ross, but managed to move up in the world. Now she's in the
movies. She's the girl that sells war bonds in those short little bits before the
main picture. You'd like to get to more movies, but Mr. Corridon's house is so
far from town...
Instructions:
Put a half a teaspoon or so of almond extract in the coffee that is served
with dessert, and make sure that mug is given to Mr. Corridon. Make sure
that you are back in the kitchen before he drinks it so that nobody thinks
you had anything to do with it.
Character Dossier
DIANA PRINCE
REAL NAME: BRIAN RAND
ALIAS: DIANA PRINCE
Age 30
Born and raised in a political family in DC, you've had to keep up with the
politics on Capitol Hill. Your family is very wealthy and influential. You have
always known that you have been homosexual, but growing up, you've always had to
hide that fact for fear of punishment and disinheritance. At the age of 18, your
parents died in a car crash. Seeing as you're an only child, you inherited the
whole estate. It was easy for you to change your name and live as a woman,
knowing that that way you'd be able to go places and pick up other men without
being arrested. You are very choosy in the men you go out with. Money really
isn't important, but they must know how to keep silent about your relationship,
even after you've broken up with them.
Dressed as Diana Prince, you attend a party where you know that a lot of
politicians hang out. You meet and start seeing the Senator from Washington
State, George Meltz. At first, the relatioship is going well, but soon it gets
boring, and George tends to ignore you. Knowing that there are better men to be
gotten, you attempt to break off your relationship with the Senator. He doesn't
want to leave. He threatens to turn you over to the authorities, you threaten to
tell his wife and ruin him. He will not let you rest, and is bound to tell
someone something harmful about you. You flee DC and go to Washington State,
settling in Olympia.
There, you attend a political "hob-nob" social gathering. You're date is an
attractive man, and you find that throughout the party, a man has been watching
him. You find the man attractive, and since you are eager to get into a fresh
relationship, you approach the man, introducing yourself. He introduces himself
as Fredrick Stillwell, a representative from Spokane County. You boldly ask if
you can speak to him privately, and trusting him fully, reveal that you find him
very attractive and that you are not what you appear to be. He is stunded, but
recovers quickly, asking you out. Your love affair has been going on for about a
year at this time. Fred is a very caring man, a good lover, and very responsive
to your needs. You have spoken to Fred of a man in DC that recently broke up
with, but you have not told him George's name.
The only problem with your relationship to Fred is that if Fred are caught in a
homosexual relationship, his career will be ruined and you will both probably go
to jail. Unknown to Fred, Senator Meltz is going to be at the party. Meltz is the
only one who can reveal that you aren't a woman. You have no wish to speak with
him at all, but expect him to threaten you again. Now, it would be most
benificial to you if he just died......
Instructions:
Stay close to Stillwell, but don't be in his presence when he talks to Meltz. Try
to keep him away from Meltz. Give Meltz dirty looks to him from across the room.
Character Dossier
FREDRICK STILLWELL
Age 36
Spokane County Representative
You have a very sucessful political career, and are up for re-election. You're a
good politician and really care about the people you represent. You are
aquainted with Senator George Meltz, but you don't really like the man, I mean
who does. You met him while you were going to school at Gonzaga University, in
Spokane Washington. He was already a politician and you became good friends with
him wife, Bernice Meltz. Sort of a motherly-type woman, you've always wondered
why she stays with him. She obviously isn't comfortable being a hostess.
While you were in Olympia, you attended a political "hob-nob" social gathering,
which your career dictated tht you attend. There you see a woman, whom you think
is rather striking, but only in passing. The person you are more interested in
is her date, a tall man, very attractive. You watch the couple and am surprised
when the woman comes over to talk to you. Her name is Diana Prince. Upon closer
examination, you see that she is actually a cleverly disguised male. This
interest you. She approaches you and introduces herself, asking if she may speak
with you privately. When alone, she confims the fact that she is a female
impersonator, and approached you because she finds you attractive, and saw you
watching her date. The woman's (man's?) boldness shocks you, but you recover
quickly. As you also find her attractive, you ask her out. Your love affair has
been going on for about a year at this time. You have heard Diana speak of a man
in DC that she recently broke up with, because of the brutal way he treated her.
Not physically abusive, but unresponsive to her needs and wants. When she broke
her relatioship with him, he didn't want to let her go. She had to flee DC and
ended up in Washington.
The only problem with your relationship to Diana is that if you are caught in a
homosexual relationship, your career will be ruined and you will probably go to
jail. But, Diana being a newcomer to Washington, she's very nervous about anyone
finding out that she isn't female. She's choosy about who she goes out with, and
about who she talks to.
You have been told by your re-election committee, that attending a party at the
home of Philip Corridan would help get votes for re-eletion. The party is being
held to raise money for the local Red Cross. Corridan is a ship builder, recently
contracted to build navy ships.
Instructions:
Stay close to Diana. Have a good time, but don't do anything to jeopardize your
re-election. There will be many people from DC at the party, so make sure that
they do not know who Diana really is, for her sake as well as yours.
Character Dossier
U. S. SENATOR GEORGE MELTZ
Age: 54
The Honorable George Meltz is not. You are, rather, a scum. A man of low morals
and varying sexual persuasion. Your successful climb in D.C. has been over the
bodies (figuratively) of others, and soon this trechery on your part will come
home to roost.
April 14, 1944, you will die.
You are making a late bid for Republican nomination for President of these
United States. There isn't really a lot of hope, but your advisors see it as an
astute move to get your name in the press. So, you have accepted an invitation
to dine April 14th at the house of Phillip Corridon. It is a fund-raising dinner
for the War Effort: War Bonds will be purchased with the money brought by the
attendees. You have been invited as a special guest, and are not expected to
contribute.
You will arrive in the city of Olympia, the capitol of Washington, on the 13th,
and will make your way to the home of Phillip in time for dinner. You will be
prompt. You will be accompanied by your wife, Mrs. Bernice Meltz. Bernice fell
in love with you when you were in college for your law degree (at Gonzaga
University in Spokane, Washington) and she was earning her teaching certificate.
It was love at first sight, and you were married in 1914, in June.
Unfortunately, it was only a few years after that you started seeing other
women. At the same time your career began to take off. Your wife, besides the
obvious coolness she has been showing you the last twenty years, is clearly
uncomfortable with the role of politician's wife. You have to hold fund-raising
parties, mingling parties, social parties, etc. etc. etc, and she does not seem
to relish these activities. However, she is devoted to you, and does a credible
job.
But enough of your wife, let's get back to you. You are a Senator for Washington
State, and an influential member of the Draft board. You have friends in high
(and low) places, and are perfectly willing to drop names or twist arms at a
moment's notice.
One of your longest acquaintances in Olympia is with Dorothy Ross, the madam at
a local brothel. You have availed yourself of the services she provides, with
particular favorites being Belle, Lorraine Demitasse, and Claire L'Enchante.
Claire is noteworthy in that she no longer works at Miss Ross's, but has found a
career in the movies. In particular, she is featured in a series of short film
clips shown before the main attraction, where she promotes war bonds.
Another sordid tool of your lust is Agnes Mitchell. A wealthy local widow, she
was very appealing to you nineteen years ago, and she found you sufficently
attractive to end up with a son by you, Wesley. Her husband Fred died of
consumption in 1928, and she has been independent on his life insurance and
savings. He had amassed quite a fortune in investments that proved to be secure
against the Great Depression. Agnes has been terrified that her son would soon
be drafted, and has prevailed upon you to see that this didn't happen. You
agreed, but suggested she make a continuing contribution to your re-election
fund. Your success encouraged you to go for more, and you have recently enjoyed
her embrace a small but significant number of times. In this case, while the
sight is reasonably appealing, it's the power you wield that makes the taking so
pleasant.
By far the strangest of your liasons was the most recent. Diana Prince was a
secret partner of yours around D.C. for a few years, until this last month, when
she broke up with you. This act has hurt you deeply, as nobody has ever dumped
you before. While she has some renown as a stylish and influencial person in
D.C., as usual, it was a physical attraction that drew you to her. What kept you
at her beck and call was the fact that she could fulfill deep and dark desires of
your lust. Diana Prince is a male transvestite, a secret well-kept on the Hill.
Should anyone reveal this fact, your career would immediatly be totally ruined.
You are reasonably sure s/he won't reveal this fact, as it would also negate her
position of behind-the-scenes authority, but it is a fear you must guard against.
Instructions:
When you arrive at the party, only a few guests will be there. One of them
will be Claire L'Enchante, and you will ask her into a private room or
corner, where you will propose (in your crude fashion) that you and she
have sex for old times sake. This attempt on your part to get for free what
you used to pay for will insult her, and she will slap you. The
conversation will lapse at this point, and you will rejoin the party.
Dave "Snark" Howell
snark@alexicom.net
