the perfect outing

To the Ladies and Gentlemen of the Pearl, and residents and visitors of Victoriania;
Lately we have had the honor of Carnivale` here in town. As the name suggests, it is an event featuring big tops, animals, games, rides and all sorts of fun and innocent mischief. At such events we may perform tricks for our friends, or feats of strength. We may gorge ourself to bloatation on such treats as cannot be found at any other place or time of year in Victoriana. We may win a stuffed bear for that special someone, or compete and play sport with our friends and neighbors. It is truly a delight, a purely angelic divertation.
However, as many of you may know, we here at the Pearl have a few naughty habbits - one of them being that we cannot simply enjoy a good thing without some adventerous accidents or unexpected mischief. This Wednesday past was just such an occasion.
While most of the circumstances that result in our crazy hijinx are often planned, themed parties, today's festivities did not result from previous study. Instead, a group of the finest Ladies and Gentlemen found themselves standing around the garden with no plans for the afternoon and little hope of adventure.
In such instances reader, it is no longer a matter of having a good time, once a plan is struck, but having the best time possible. As a Lady of the Pearl, I am proud to say that we almost always are able to achieve levels of delight in our little outings than most other parties can conjure. But this should not be unique to the Pearl - and so I shall tell our story, and explain the four rules for having the perfect outing, as we at the Pearl so often do.

It wasn't long into our menage a quatre` in the garden that a decision was reached, and soon we were bumping and grinding against each other as the rickity train swung back and forth on the tracks, carrying us to Carnivale`.
This party consisted of Lady Anske Beatte, Lady Vlana Thespian, Lord Skylark Bedrosian and myself, though we would be joined by others as the afternoon progressed. The phrase 'the more, the merrier' is often more true than most people believe, as any dedicated member of the Pearl will attest to.
For who among you can say, truthfully and without flush in your cheeks, that you have not thought on such an outing, "How much I should enjoy to have Mrs. B with us, but her husband is hardly acceptable society!" or "I long to have Aunt Emily here today, but she has no money to leave us, while Aunt Gertrude has capital a-plenty, and she has been looking rather poorly of late...."?
That, friends and foes, is not how business is conducted among ladies and gentlemen of the Pearl. Only the best, acceptable company is permitted to join our fun, and that company is based not on stature or society, but on who is the best enjoyment and who is determined, in turn, to enjoy themselves. This is the first rule of enjoying a carnival the Pearl way: you must attend the event in the best of company, and a company inkeeping with your own attitude and a slave to no one elses'.
As the trip progresses in your own adventure, and you find yourself vague on the next step to an exquisitely good afternoon? You must always recall: Be witty, charming, and agreeable.
Agreeable society is always the most...agreeable. And for the perfect good time on a sunny May afternoon, agreeableness must not only come from your chosen compatriots. For how are they to be charming and agreeable to you if they have no provider of charming and agreeable banter in return? Being charming and agreeable to oneself is impossible: sooner or later we all find ourselves to be dull and unsurprising, and seek the company of others. You must be wanted as much as you want.
Lady Vlana made a good demonstration of this soon after our arrival at Carnivale`, as she may be seen here. Quite literally, she was dancing on a ball for our amusement - and how amusing we found her to be!

Of course, for all of you familiar with Lady Vlana, she is witty and charming in and of herself. Most people, in fact, are not nearly so agreeable as our Vlana, so I use this demonstration here for you less-agreeable folk to notice and take note upon. Even if you are dull in comparison to your society, you may still manage to make yourself pleasant to them with a little bit of effort! In turn, they will desire to make themselves more pleasant to you, and a good time may be had by all.
Now once your party is properly chosen and your transportation arranged, you may ask; "Lady Jas, we are now at the carnival. How may we best enjoy this spectacle with the adventure that the ladies and gents of the Pearl do?" And I shall answer, "You must be fearless."

Take, for instance, Lady Shashasha - who joined us with Corporal Prissk Sahara later in the afternoon - here presented pinned to a spinning wheel, while Lord Bedrosian amused himself with the careless tosses of sharpened blades at her poor form. Now there is nothing in this rule, reader, that states that you should not be concerned for your friends and loved ones. But you must remember that this day is for everyones' amusement, and that must always be respected.
Brave Lady Sha did not scream, though there were many times that we all glanced away. I shall spoil the story now, reader, so you are not overly concerned with the fate of our precious lady: Lord Bedrosian tossed his knives and clipped her dress, and even I dared to try a few from my own hand. Lady Shashasha was removed from the wheel, unscathed and with a heightened courage.
But fearlessness does not come from braving daggers alone. There are other dangers that must be faced in order for the most pleasing and adventorous time to be had by all. These are the dangers of society. This is most often where I lose most people, but I pray that you will stay with me here.
Society is one of the most dangerous things to face. Wounds heal, but the scar society may mark you with is generally much more longstanding. Hester Prynne may remove her letter on occasion, but it takes years of good deeds for the stigmas to go away entirely. This is the excitement of brushing against society's bone-rigid corset ways. This is what makes it fun.
The kissing booth is an excellent way of achieving this. It can be considered scandalous to let lips do what hands do with a stranger, someone whose attraction is only in their appearance. But even this can be considered acceptable, leaving a none-too-serious scar on one's personal life in the community.
We at the Pearl take that danger and rub up against it, test it, tease it. Lady Vlana again presents a wonderful example, with the aid of yours truly.

I was happy enough to participate in the kissing booth, and had a few gentlemen kind enough to pay their dues in exchange for a brief moment of contact. But what I did not expect was Lady Vlana to sneak upon me and press softness to mine in the most gentle kiss I have ever known. Everyone stood, aghast, in shock and absolutely delighted.
The most scathing part? She didn't even pay.
If you have come this far, reader, I must applaud you. Most people would not be so brave, but you must appreciate the utter enjoyment that can be had from an afternoon performed in the style of the Pearl and her people. It is absolutely the most pleasant way to spend an afternoon. As a reward for your dilligence? I give you the last rule to having the perfect afternoon trip.
Enjoy what is given to you.

My last example taken from our Wednesday trip involves all in attendence. As the sun waned across the sky, we decided that a relaxing ride in the hot-air balloon was the best way to finish what had been the perfect outing. While some got left behind, and some lept out of the basket over the ocean, the rest of us were given the opportunity to enjoy something magnificent.

The balloon took us all around the nation of Victoriana. We saw beaches, large hedge mazes, a tower in the water and a collection of the most delicate and beautiful homes to be seen anywhere. All of us in that basket came to realize how very lucky we are to have such friends, a lovely neighborhood, the Pearl and our good wits and snappy sense of style (for all of my friends are stylish ones, reader, I shall abide nothing less).
There is always something to enjoy in life, or even in a day, reader. This last lesson goes further than just an afternoon - in order to be in good spirits all of time, it is quite important to take a little something each day and appreciate it. A lover, a beautiful gown, a flower - there is always something that you can find. Not doing this leads to ornery people and ornery people have a very difficult time with finding a pleasing afternoon.
These are my four suggestions for the perfect outing, the Pearl way. For some, these rules may be difficult; for others, impossible. Should you manage to abide these four rules, I promise the most delightful time to you.
Although, on second thought, there are few people outside of our humble abode that I know of that may be able to abide all these rules. Indeed, if you are one of those rare individuals who is willing to follow all four, you may be unable to find people with whom to follow them with. No, on reflection, you are better off to come by the Pearl if you are one such individual to share in our experiences. It is the easiest way to abide these rules.
Until next time, reader, I remain most faithfully yours,

Lady Jasmine