Right after I finished up with the girl scouts, I headed over to Fern to see how the bobsled team's costumes were coming along. Their main task for the night was detailing their black spandex with the yellow and green tape. When I got there, Eric had just returned home from the Import House on Court Street because they had not yet received their Jamaican flag stickers in the mail. Luckily, they had that resource a block away from their apartment. Bryon and Jeff got right to work, while Eric and Tony sat on the couch and looked up pictures of the bobsled team. They mentioned that they were glad that a girl was there to help them; however, they didn't know that I was probably less creative than them. After consulting the image online, they decided to make a yellow V-shape going across the shirt and then filling it in with the green tape.
Bryon using the yellow tape to make the Jamaican details
Jeff applying the green tape on his uniform
They seemed to have it under control and were flying through the process until Jeff attempted to try on the shirt. Right before he went into the other room to change (because I was there), Tony yelled out that it might have not been a good idea to tape the shirt before he put it on. No one really thought about the fact that spandex is very stretchy and putting on the shirt requires it to stretch greatly. Sure enough, once the shirt was on the tape was already falling off. So, the first attempt was not so successful. They were busy trying to get ready for the Halloween bash they were having that night and I had to get back home because my friend from UK was on her way, so we decided to leave all the work for the next day.
Bryon trying to reattach the tape after Jeff put on his shirt
This was not how I have spent my past Halloweens. By 3 o'clock, I am usually ready and up on Court Street enjoying the entertainment. But on this Halloween at 3 o'clock, I was speed walking with my best friend at my side to Fern Street with my notebook in hand and camera on wrist without a costume on. When we walked in the apartment, I was hit with the smell of stale beer, which is the smell that makes you never want to drink again. Then, as I proceeded to walk in the living room, my feet stuck to the ground every step I took. It was a workout walking around that place. It was safe to say that they all had a good time at their party. I was glad to see that they meant business when I got over there. They were already dressed in their black spandex and black tennis shoes and were ready to paint their faces with brown grease makeup. Bryon and Jeff started painting their faces in the downstairs bathrooms. This makeup was stuff that really clogs the pores. While applying the makeup, Bryon expressed concern saying, " I hope this does not offend anyone. We are just trying to look as close as possible." They needed help getting the back of their necks, so I stepped in while my friend, Katie, took pictures.
Bryon and Jeff applying grease makeup in their bathroom
Me helping Bryon paint the back of his neck
While I was helping out Bryon and Jeff, Eric had two eggs boiling. He was planning on attaching the egg on a piece of thread and wearing it as a necklace. Unfortunately, it didn't really work out and the egg crumbled each time. So, he dicided that it was a good effort but needed to forget about the egg. After the boys were painted, it was time to spray their hair black. Jeff was the first to be sprayed and he kept complaining that it was "so cold," which gave his roommates an open target to make fun of him. Eric even used the black spray-paint to apply a mustache.
Tony spraying Jeff's hair black
Eric using a cotton swab to apply the black spray on his upper lip
The guys put the brown makeup on their hands, which restricted them from touching anything. Anything they touched, walls, phones, clothes, turned brown. Because of this, it was up to the people in the room without painted hands to apply the tape to their shirts. "I feel like I am in a museum because I can't move or touch anything," Bryon said while his older brother helped him out. They were having some problems with the green tape, because apparently someone at the party spilled a beverage all over it, which affected its stickiness. Because it would not stick to the spandex, they put a piece of yellow tape down first and then stuck the green tape on top of the yellow tape. It was quite the ordeal.
Victor helping his younger brother
Bryon standing like a statue while Victor finished up the tape job
The last detail was to stick the Jamaican flag on their left thighs. The process took less than an hour, and they guys were so excited to go show off their costumes on Court Street. As the gathered up their belongings, Jeff quoted the bobsled team's chant, "Feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme; hop on in, it's bobsled time!" As I walked on Court Street with the bobsled team, I was amazed at the praise they were getting. Everyone recognized who they were and kept quoting the lines from the movie. The team soaked up the glory. While all the partygoers were complimenting the team, I was getting mean stares and confused looks because I had my everyday clothes on. It was at that point when I realized that I really needed to get home and get my costume on.
Eric adding his Jamaican flag to his left thigh
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