Being extremely thirsty and highly aware of my problem of being dehydrated recently, I went for the water I'd been sipping, taking it from the bar and holding it so I got enough. Around me, there were many people talking at once. 

"-Yes, oh you knew that actress? I'm impressed. Not many people know her. But ah, you know musicals, don't you? Tell me, do you know-"

"-Silk charmeuse is highly difficult to work with. It reminds me of wet paper and even more finnicky. Still, it is doable. I like to drape it as so-"

"-Do you know about American musicals? I can't believe we never talked about this before. Of course you know musicals-"

"-That whiskey really sold, I was wrong. Wow, they liked it so much. Are you sure it isn't possible to get more? Where did you-"

Darla was talking to Heizou and Cham was trying to interrupt, and Miyuki was talking to Heizou and Tata at the same time, and Io was trying to talk to Tata. Heizou looked absolutely overwhelmed, but he was introverted on a good day. 

I was wisely keeping my mouth shut. Between us were some french fries and chicken from a place that Miyuki often went to. A kind thing, bringing food for everyone. Cham was downing it, but no one else had hardly touched it. Miyuki was especially keeping her hands clean, because she was holding a piece of white silk charmeuse to demonstrate to Tata and Heizou what she was talking about. I was fascinated by this conversation. She'd said this material had been used a lot in the 1930's for ladies' dresses. She'd brought it along with other samples of materials to show Heizou earlier in the day.

"Now, silk gauze is a weird thing," she went on, going into her samples which were carefully arranged in a bag she'd brought. "There are many imitators, but only one real thing. Feel how light it is. Don't be shy, hold it. Feel that? It's incomparable. Would you rather have tulle or this? Now, tulle has its uses, but isn't this just so lovely? Go ahead, toss it in the air. It's just a sample. Doesn't matter if it falls on the floor. I want you to do it so you see how it floats in the air. Imagine it on a dress as you spin. How it would float."

Heizou was carefully holding the sample of silk gauze, looking scared to even move his hands. This piece was so delicate that it appeared colorless to me, but I recognized it as a gray after a time. 

"Would you like to see some Italian crinkle gauze? I like to use it as a trimming for underskirts. It adds a little something when the underskirt peeks from underneath..."

Heizou looked overwhelmed again.

All the while, the talk about musicals was continuing in the background, and I really wanted to listen to Darla. He knew everything about them, but of course he did. These old Japanese musicals. He'd been able to see them in the theater when they'd first come out. 

"I used to be on TV, you know," he was saying. "I was on TV with a certain actress, an interview show. Maybe you know her, maybe you don't. If you don't, you should. I will show you her." He had his phone out now, typing away with both thumbs, his eyes so close to the screen despite his reading glasses. His glasses looked so out of place, these big black rimmed things. He was still dressed so glamorously, still in his drag from earlier in the night except for these glasses sticking out.

"Which actress is she?" Cham was saying. "I probably don't know her. I want to know more about Japanese musicals."

"Wah, I will teach you. Kids these days. You need to know."

Cham got closer to Darla's phone, peering down at it, while eating a fry that was covered in red dust. It was getting all over Cham's fingers and I worried about Darla's dress. It looked extremely hard to clean.

All of a sudden, Tata saw me. He jumped up, and I thought he was going to come over to me, but instead he started to speak. He clapped his hands, trying to get our attention. Everyone settled down. Darla was mid-word, his phone still pointed toward Cham.

"Good job everyone," Tata began. "This was very successful. I'm so proud. Everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves. Should we have a part two of this performance? Maybe a series? I want to know about everyone's ideas. Patrons didn't seem like they even wanted to leave. It was magic."

"It was the whiskey," Io interjected, holding up the last bottle which was half empty since everyone was drinking it. "They finally all tried it and loved it. They kept coming back for more."

As he was speaking, Miyuki was putting her samples away. I finally noticed it was a carpetbag and my eyes bugged a little seeing it. Was it authentic, or had she made it herself? It was such a cool item. 

"I'll contact the company and see if they have any more vintages," Tata was responding. "It won't be the same, but the name should be recognizable now."

"Thank you. If we have a part two, we can serve it then. It will be the perfect compliment, reminding them of the first night."

Tata's hands clasped tightly. He was so pleased. It was going perfectly for him. It warmed my heart. "I'll ask them immediately. I won't delay. We should really talk about a part two. How long is a good length of time between shows?"

"Leave them wanting more," Darla spoke up. "That's the old show business motto. Then, when they can't wait anymore, give them more."

"Ahh yes. But, how can I judge this?"

"Leave it up to me. I know."

Tata looked further so pleased. 

Darla wasn't done. "I want to sing Giselle Pascal next time. 'Un Oiseau Chant.' 'Seule Avec Toi.' Our audience won't know her, but they'll learn from me. Yuki, you like chanson. Do you know her?"

Suddenly all eyes were on me and I was a deer caught in headlights. I paused for a second as they stared at me expectantly, then took a long sip of my water while avoiding eye contact.

Tata gave a small chuckle. "We'll find her sheet music."

"Sounds good to me," Darla said. 

I avoided everyone's eyes still. A small blush was on my cheeks in the dim lighting. It just proved once again to me how much more infinite knowledge Darla had, and how much I had to learn. Would it take it me possibly forty more years to know what he knew? It was unfathomable, that amount of time, and yet he'd lived it. 

"Does anyone else have any suggestions for music? I liked the theme for tonight. We don't devote time to only American jazz very often. How about some Frank Sinatra? Dean Martin? Oh- yes, Cham? Oh, but of course you'd know about American jazz. Why didn't I think about it before? Oh- what is it?"

Cham's hand was raised high into the air, his arm straight up. He was holding out a red french fry to Tata. Tata took it, looking at it curiously. 

"Eat, you haven't eaten all night. I notice you get like that." Cham put another into his own mouth as he was speaking, not even waiting to be done with his words. 

"Oh, thank you." The fry Tata had been holding went into his mouth. "Now where was I- oh- the jazz-" he let out a small cough. My eyebrows raised with it. "We can branch out, I like Nancy Sinat- cough- Sina- cough- she's not exact- cough-"

My water glass was already stretched out to him at the first cough. 

"Oh no!" Miyuki gasped, undistracting herself from putting her samples back into her carpetbag. She gasped again, picking up her whiskey from the bar which had gone untouched. She rushed it to him and he took it gratefully. My water glass went back to where it had been practically pressed to my chest in my nervousness. Watching Tata like a hawk, seeing if he'd cough again. And he did, while trying to drink. Miyuki's hand waved so fast, gesturing towards the fries. "These are fire fries! I meant to tell you! Tata, don't eat them! You can't take the spice!"

"What are fire fries?" Cham asked, taking another. It popped into his mouth like it was nothing. 

I was out of my seat, seeing Tata cough. Him being in the hospital with me flashed into my mind. In no time, I was offering him my water, my hand on his shoulder. No doubt my face was in deep concern for him. He nodded a little, trying to breathe. Just how hot were those fries for just one to have done this?

Miyuki let out a mournful noise. "Fire fries are level ten spicy! Just like at Coco Curry!"

My head whipped around to her. My hand could still feel Tata's desperate drinking movements. "Level ten?! Tata only eats level four!"

"Yes, I know that. Ugh, I got so distracted by my materials- I should have said something! Oh, and you were trying to have a meeting, too! This is awful!" Miyuki gripped the front of her dress in worry, the thick red and white stripes clutched a bit. 

Tata coughed a little again, and his voice came out so tiny. I felt awful. My hand squeezed his shoulder in support. "It's fine. It's fine. I'll re- cough- cover. I just need-" 

I was already leading him to my stool.

"What, is it really that hot?" Io asked. He took one without hesitation. He chewed it gently, his face scrunched up in no time, but he looked like he was enjoying it.

With this new chaotic scene, I observed the room. Io picked up a drink menu, fanning Tata with it loyally. Cham was still eating, shrugging like it was no big deal. Miyuki was panicking. Heizou looked awkward, unsure what to do. And Darla was on his phone. My hand went to my head, wondering what to do.

"Hey, let's order some normal fries. What's open? Let's see," Darla said, only adding to the chaos, asking a new question amidst this. 

Predictably, everyone had their own separate answers. Recovering so quickly with the prospect of more food. As relief went through me, even Tata was trying to show Darla a good place. I went to sit with him, joining him on the stool to his right. His arm went around me and he wasn't coughing anymore, though his eyes were definitely squinting from the pain in his mouth. I picked up my water glass again, trying to give it to him, only adding more to the chaos. 

He took it gratefully, sipping just like I had been. My hand went on his back as he pointed at Darla's screen. He kept asking which one Tata meant, but he couldn't speak to tell him. Luckily, I knew his favorite place. So, I spoke up and joined in. As I did, I felt his back relax as I finally joined the party.