Hear hear for Chesspiece!!!!!

Three cheers for our very dear friend, Cesco from Lithuania! Known as Chesspiece by yours truly. Ain't he the best? I'm not actually sure how many years he's lived so far on this planet, but that's not really important--because what DOES matter is that it's his birthday today, and boy is it a good reason to celebrate!! Bummer he's on the other side of the world at present, or we'd toast in a large draught of vodka to his good fortune this coming year--but we can do that anyway, barring the vodka: BEST OF THE BEST TO YOU CHESSPIECE!!! We love you bunches and miss you lots! Have a good one, and may you flourish like the grass of the field in summer, and this year prove to be the most wonderful yet! Do drop by if you happen to be in the vicinity, then, won't you?

As myliu tave!

Footnote: Whilst living in a HUGE community in Hungary, Ces, Niel and I (then tenderly aged 17) were press-ganged into performing a play for the benefit of our fellow-community-residents.

It was supposed to be a romantic drama about a king who falls in love with a distant relation of his, but in order to test her character, sends a trusted servant in the guise of a beggar to her estate. She befriends the beggar, and later stands up for him in the court of the king, which earns her his (carefully hidden) respect and admiration, though outwardly he spurns her for preferring the company of a beggar to his royal majesty. When she sadly returns to her estate, she discovers that her 'beggar' friend has gone away, and so she is heartbroken, but decides that she will from henceforth always be a friend to the common people of the land. Later, the king invites her back to his castle, reveals the secret of his trusted friend the 'beggar', and makes her his queen.

Right. That was the original story. But none of us properly memorized the script (we had 2 hours or so of practice for a 30-minute play full of dialogue), and then dear, dear Niel (we have the same birthday, only he's like 10 years my senior, and the world's biggest clown) decided to extemporize, painted himself black, and carried on with a negro accent in such a ridiculously hilarious fashion, none of us could read our lines with straight faces. Following are a few pictures of our play. Forgive the flapping sheets of paper, those were our lines, which we had to read all throughout.


His majesty having a private snicker over his trusted friend's worthy disguise

Her ladyship upon meeting the 'beggar' Bastien (Niel)--trying to remember what we were supposed to say according to script




I wasn't supposed to be laughing....




First meeting with the king: "How terribly selfish you are, your majesty!" upon being told that my beggar friend would not be allowed to enter the palace should I accept the king's suit.

Second meeting with the king:

"I summoned you because have chosen a queen at last."

"Oh? Well, may I wish you and your bride every happiness, majesty? (sniff)"

"But you are the one I desire to be my bride."

"Sniff."


Proposal shot

Another proposal shot ("What was I supposed to say again?")

Joyous acceptance of proposal

Romantic dance to seal the evening

(Ces and I were laughing so hard into each other's shoulders, because Niel was cutting the wickedest capers nearby, holding a fan over us to get the 'windswept' feel to our act)

There's the fan behind us, and Niel speaking some encouraging words ...

The play, actually, due to its unexpectedly comedic form, rated us as the winners of the tournament of plays that evening. I think I won a chocolate bar for my efforts as the reluctant portended bride of the king. The hardest part was keeping a straight face while his royal majesty was romantically proposing at the top of his voice, looking adoringly into my blushing maiden face. Or was it only bright red with supressed laughter? Who cares.

Natalie didn't pose in any of the evening's pictures, which was sad because she was our narrator, and did a very fair job of it. Kudos, Natalie!!

And finally, a last picture of his majesty, taken on another occasion, probably a fancy-dress party or something.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY THEN CHESSPIECE! WE LOVE YOU!