Sounds Like a Party

It didn't occur to me to that so many people would find the competition off-putting.

And, really, I should not have allowed myself to be surprised like that. As it was, I had to wait about two minutes into the game before I saw the clicks of recognition flicker on one face and then another until an absolutely distinct minority had wordlessly, event-less-ly disengaged, drifting back into the chit chat of the day. It was as though some magic potion had worn off more or less at the same time, with the guests vaguely aware something was out of place, that they'd been plucked out of time for a moment, and yet unable to care why or how. I continued as a distracted host, and in my own way also chose to move on; indeed, in delivering my performance anyhow, but as a slightly ironic imitation of how I would have done it had I had the crowd with me, I gave much more of myself than I otherwise would have. For the first time in a long time, I was right where I wanted to be.