I parked at Corcoran Street Garage, the entrance is not on the side the map will tell you to use, instead you have to take a left at the light onto South Corcoran Street from West Main Street and it'll be on the right, it's a small entrance so you have to go slow.
From there you can go to West Ramseur Street and head west and you will see Arcana on the right if you look for the sign. It's in the basement so it's not an easy place to find.
Most folks get lost wandering West Main Street, the front entrance is closed and there is a sign but it's small and behind glass the last time I checked. Also, there are distractions.
As Code and I walked the street there was a couple who overheard what we were saying, I was explaining how to find it since he had never been there before. They introduced themselves as Dave and Anna. We went down the alleyway together and Dave said, this looks like a place you'd see in Vampire the Masquerade.
I said, this is where the Ventrue get you.
When we arrived I held the door open for everyone and inside we were shocked to see paper and a pen. That's how they figured out if you had a ticket, they found your first and last name on their list. We made our way to the bar and it was not too packed yet.
I got my non-alcoholic drink and Code picked up his Vampire's Kiss. Then we walked around and saw Twentieth Century Boy aka Nathan.
I asked Nathan if they were picking a prom king and queen and he said they don't do that. The idea is for folks to come out and get dressed up a bit more than they usually would. He had a term for it like, pain and pageantry. It was more eloquent than that. But he was right, people showed up in full on ballroom gowns, there was a man dressed up in an entire Dracula outfit. It made me regret not wearing my red vest and necklace, getting more dressed up for the event than nail polish, black lipstick, eyeliner, and my skeleton jacket with TENDER IS THE FLESH stenciled on the back.
Nathan looked distracted so we decided to break off and found Jeff. He said he didn't remember my name but I stared at him until he asked, Frank?
We stood and talked and eventually sat down at a small table. I wanted a tarot reading but didn't figure out how it worked until late, at about ten thirty the reader let me know, the music is getting too loud and for Tarot! Enjoy the party!
The music was great, the place was packed. I posted about that on Instagram. I looked for photos of the event but nobody has shared any. I saw multiple people taking pictures and videos.
At one point they played a song that got me low. There were a couple of them but one just sent me plunging and when I had my head in my hand I was approached by Hannah.
Are you OK?
Yeah, just down.
Are you sure, you look sad and alone.
I looked her in the eye, it's because I am sad and alone.
There were five chairs around the small candle lit table, four were empty before she sat down.
I'm sorry, what's your name?
Hannah.
Nice to meet you Hannah, I'm Frank.
Do you need water or anything, Frank?
I'm sober.
Okay I just wanted to make sure you are OK.
Yeah, I'll be fine.
Then she got up and left.
Outside smoking and cooling off after returning from the dance floor covered in sweat, Code said they're called club angels. If you fall down in the mosh pit they wade in and stiff arm their way to pull you out.
We talked about dating and he said, that's how it is done now they just ghost you. It could be the first sign of trouble, it could be someone better came along. There are just so many options for people now.
That's how he explained why he does not do online dating. It's too easy to drop someone. Nobody puts in any effort.
Code continued, I know at one point people used to meet and something would go wrong so they would talk about it and it was more difficult to stop seeing someone because of the way that they were getting introduced. But now they can just ghost you at the first sign of trouble. So, don't take it personally.
I think Code is right, the game has changed. When I told him I wasn't any good at dating in the first place, even long ago before the apps, he said he was not surprised. He said his approach is to just do the things he finds fun and let things happen, he doesn't go out of his way to pick up people at the bar or try to get introduced to new people. And, his goal is to enjoy himself and the event. Listen to music, dance if you want to.
I think about these lifestyles and how atomizing it is to get transformed from a child with a lot of friends and connections, slowly having your friendships and relationships whittled away by full time jobs, partners, eventually children and families. Then people start getting sick and dying, the relationships atrophy and eventually dry up and fade away. Then the twilight sets in and we all go to the retirement homes too mentally deteriorated to form or continue real relationships. We become a reflecting pool that our relatives visit to try to connect with who they once were, what they believe they can still hold onto before time and age take them too.