Page 9 of One Weekend in Sydney

She nods, grinning. “We sat next to each other at dinner. We danced to a couple of songs and then just chatted for the rest of the night. We got to know each other before knowing what the other looked like.”

“Wow!” Imagine that! What if I meet my happily-ever-after guy there, too?

Ha! In my dreams. A one-night stand is my best bet this weekend, and I doubt I’d even be doing that.

I talk some more to the friendly woman as our turn for the toilets slowly gets closer. Soon, we get to pee and say goodbye to each other.

As I leave the pub, I pull out my phone and check the Sydney public transport app to check the ferry times. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” I say under my breath. A ferry is leaving for Sydney Olympic Park in a minute. I’m not gonna make that. And the next one is not due for another hour and fifteen minutes because the one scheduled before it is cancelled. Damn it!

I guess I’ll have to eat something around here before I catch the next ferry because there’s no way I’ll get to the venue in time for dinner. How disappointing!

I check out the restaurants nearby and stop in my tracks as I pass by Wharf 5, where a smaller boat is docked. The people onboard are all in costume and wearing masks!

I pull out my mask from my bag and hurriedly put it on. Then, I approach the person checking the tickets. “Excuse me,” I say to the middle-aged attendant in a white collared shirt and black trousers. “Is this boat going to A Musical Night in Masquerade?”

“No.”

My face falls. “Oh.”

“Thepeopleon this boat are going to the masquerade. But the boat isn’t.” He chuckles.

I laugh with him. “Of course. I missed my boat that had already left from Wharf 2. Is there a way I can get on this one? I’m happy to buy a ticket.”

“Sorry. Tickets were sold out weeks ago. You can catch the ferry. It leaves from Barangaroo Wharf.” He points in the general direction.

“I know. I was just hoping I could catch this one. The next ferry doesn’t leave for another hour and fifteen because there’s been a cancellation.”

“I’m afraid I can’t?—”

An angry voice near us makes us whip our heads.

“You’re a fucking pain in my ass!” yells a man as he towers over his female companion. Then, he takes a swig from the bottle of beer in his hand.

“You promised not to get drunk tonight!” the woman shouts back.

“I’m just trying to fucking have fun! Which is always fucking impossible when I’m with you!”

As one, the attendant and I move towards the couple. But another man in a slim-fit, long-sleeved black shirt and black trousers is already rushing to them, his long black cape fluttering in the breeze. And, oh my, his black face mask, the upper half decorated in what seems like gold patterns, makes him look formidable.

“What’s going on here?” Caped Guy demands, pulling the drunk idiot away from his companion.

“None of your fucking business,” Drunk Idiot hissed. “Who the fuck are you?”

Caped Guy looks in our direction. He seems to freeze for a moment before saying, “Jerry, call the cops!”

“Okay!” Jerry says.

Oh, the ticket attendant’s name is Jerry. I give him a grim smile as he taps on his phone.

“Fuck you!” Drunk Idiot yells, pushing Caped Guy forcefully. But, in his inebriated state, he almost loses his balance while Caped Guy only staggers back a step.

“Leave me alone!” Drunk Idiot tries to escape, but Caped Guy stops him, grabbing his arm and forcing him to sit on the ground.

“Stay,” Caped Guy growls.

It looks like Drunk Idiot knows when he’s overpowered because he doesn’t try to get up. He does take another swig of his beer, but that, too, is snatched away from him by Caped Guy. “You should know it’s illegal to drink alcohol in this public area,” he says.

Peeling my eyes off Caped Guy and his heroic actions, I go to Drunk Idiot’s woman companion. She’s already surrounded by three concerned passers-by. “Are you okay?” I heard one of them ask.

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