Plates decorated with ornamental hors d’oeuvres swirled around the room, the fine china glinting from the light of the chandelier. The room swelled with conversation and the gentle clink of champagne flutes as the guests mingled. Circulating amongst the many groups in a grand fashion was a short, plump woman in her mid-60s dressed in a crimson suit and matching feathered hairpiece. The woman waved her arms and laughed heartily with each group before moving on to the next and by the time she made her way around the room she had consumed a total of three and a half glasses of champagne. The woman raised her champagne flute in front of the guests and began to speak.

“Dear friends, foes, lovers, and colleagues,” she smiled as the room grew quiet and all eyes rested on her. “As many of you have already guessed, I have brought you here for an evening that you will never forget, although some of you may never remember it.” The host chuckled, her round face beaming from excitement, “Now, before the festivities can truly begin I can only imagine that you may be asking yourself: ‘Why?’

“For many years I have hosted parties not unlike the very one I am hosting tonight. I have always found it truly fascinating to see the ways in which various parts of my life mix together under the influence of alcohol and overpriced canapés, however tonight there is a little bit more reasoning behind it.” Her smile flickered briefly before she continued, “There are moments in life that force you to make choices. Choices and decisions that you never thought you would have to make, and yet you do.”

She inhaled deeply.

“Three months ago I suffered a stroke.”

A collective gasp came from the guests as the woman nodded somberly, “Luckily I have recovered extremely well, but it made me realize one thing: life is too precious a thing to waste and I’ll be damned if I let it get away from me without having one last party! So drink up, lovelies! Tonight’s a night for debauchery!” The host raised her glass toward the ceiling, the rest of the room cheering right back at her.