We had been invited to a Halloween costume party at a friend's house. It was a clear fall day. All the leaves had fallen from the trees, and the landscape was starting to look brown and dingy like winter. Perhaps that's why she'd wanted to go as a tropical hula dancer. Her costume was brightly colored and evoked warmer climates. I loved the bikini top made of plastic clam shells. I asked her to model them in the driveway before we went into the party. I wasn't expecting her to lift them in a spontaneous flash.