Double Vision
                                                                  By: dotsonga​

He hated this time of year.  The fall.  It begins the first day of October and doesn't end until after New Year's.  This is the time of year that his partner drives him crazy because he becomes even more of a kid than any other time of year.  It was particularly bad this year since he started in on me the first day in October, Halloween would be extra long.


He even had a special menu.  Complete with a Beelzebub Burger with Frankenstein Fries, fried toadstools, chicken wings Diablo, werewolf whiskey and witch's brew beer.  The second week of October came and my partner had his costume all lined up and it was a huge secret. He was so antsy that I didn't know if I could hold on until the end of the month without strangling him. He was confident that he would win the contest at Huggy's on Halloween night. I had finally heard him crow enough and decided that I would turn the tables on him.

All I heard the first week was how we needed to be picking out our costumes for Huggy's Halloween Bash. Huggy was planning a big blowout this year anticipating a large increase in business because Halloween fell on a Saturday this year.  He planned to start by holding a pool and dart tournament on Friday night with a costume party and the crowning of a High Priest and Priestess on, Saturday, Halloween night.

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I kept up my nonchalant façade as I covertly planned my costume.  I hoped this idea would top anything that he had dreamed up.  All day long he would harass me about time running out on me, little did he know.  I did feel a little devilish; as I would just shrug my shoulders and tell him I was not concerned with such mundane things.  You could see him stew at my lack of enthusiasm; it was driving him nuts and I was loving every minute of it.  Now maybe he would know what it felt like but I doubt it even registered in that twisted brain of his.
Halloween weekend finally arrived and we were scheduled to work Friday evening but would be free the rest of the weekend so we could take part in Huggy's activities.  We dropped in on Huggy's packed house Friday night to grab a bite to eat and check out the pool tourney.  After finishing our burgers and letting Huggy know that we would see him tomorrow night, my partner informed me that he would meet me at Huggy's tomorrow because he wanted to keep his costume a surprise, which suited me just fine because I wanted to do the same.
It was now two hours before the contest started and I began to get ready.  I had borrowed the wig from my neighbor who works at a beauty college.  I had bought the crummiest pair of jeans I could find at the thrift store just down the street from Union Mission on Ventura.  My assistant would be here shortly to help pull the rest of my costume together.  I know some might consider using a professional make-up artist as cheating but I had to trump my partner in order to hopefully shut him up in the future.  We had met Marilyn when we worked undercover at the movie studio.



As I waited on her, I pulled on the totally too tight jeans.  I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled on the equally crummy blue tennis shoes that I had also gotten at the thrift store.  Once I finished I grabbed the wig and headed to the bathroom.  I stood in front of the mirror and smiled at my reflection.  I hate to admit it but this year my partner's infectious excitement may have gotten to me just a little because I was enjoying this.  I just shook my head as I pulled the curly brown wig on.

Marilyn knocked on the front door just as I left the bathroom.  I opened the door and greeted her as I was told how on target my costume was.  She was the only one who knew anything about my costume only because I needed her help with the Piéce de résistance.   She pulled out her magic case and we got started.  She laughed when I jumped as she applied the cold glue to my chest.  I laughed when she pulled what could only be described as a small furry animal from a bag.  She placed the 'rug' on top of the glue.  I got us something to drink while we waited for the glue to dry. 
After tugging on the hairpiece to make sure it was secure, she then began to fluff it up.  I went to the closet to retrieve the denim button up shirt I had planned on wearing.  I slipped it on and buttoned it up.  Marilyn shook her head no at me and told me I had it all wrong as she walked over and promptly unbuttoned several of the buttons I had just fastened.  By the time she was through you could see my navel, but you had to look through the forest that had been applied to my chest first.  But she was right; it completed the effect that I was trying to achieve.

I could see my partner's car out front as I pulled up to Huggy's.  I walked around to the alley entrance because I wanted to scope out my competition from the kitchen door.  I scanned the room for my partner and Huggy but I couldn't find either one of them.  Then I saw a crowd gathered at the pool tables and heard my partner's unmistakable laughter.

Huggy was by the bar and calling for all contestants to line up for the judging.  I saw the crowd file past me as I tried to get a glimpse of Starsky's costume but he was tightly ensconced by his entourage.  If I didn't know better, I would swear that he had arranged the whole cloaking.

I slipped in right behind the crowd and as they parted he turned and we were finally face to face, costume to costume.  Both our jaws dropped as we stared at replicas of ourselves.  I couldn't believe it as I saw a carbon copy of myself….me.  I now know why I hadn't been able to find my guitar shirt for weeks; because it was on the twit….I mean twin in front of me, along with tan corduroys and brown boots.  And the cherry on top of his sundae was the straight, golden wig that glowed in the bar.



We both burst into laughter as we headed to the bar for some witch's brew. As he put his beer down, he turned to me and said, "Damn I look good!" I do have to admit that I enjoyed the weekend but I am NOT going to let him drag me into the upcoming Winter Wonderland.