Mary's cautiousness gets the better of her.

"Um, I don't know," Mary said while pulling her phone away from Anne.

The lady at the registration booth began to wave at Anne. "Ma'am over here. Ma'am!"

Without acknowledging the con staffer Anne said, "If you change your mind I'll be at the pool party over at the Sheraton tonight."

"Next!" the perturbed con staffer bellowed.

Anne turned and shot the boisterous woman a withering look as she headed toward her booth to complete the registration process.

Mary studied Anne. Maybe I'm being too cautious. Anne seemed nice. Perhaps a bit more worldly than I'm used to. Oh, I don't know. How am I going to come out of my shell if I'm scared off by everyone who is the least bit forward?

A male staffer shout of "Next customer please!" pulled Mary back to reality. Mary felt a bit giddy as she answered his questions knowing the end result would be her getting her badge and the official start of her con experience.

After Mary had paid, she gleefully skipped away from the booth holding her shiny new laminated Tomorrow Con badge. "Oh wow this is beautiful," Mary said in appreciation of picture of a young woman wearing a chain mail bikini riding a mechanized T-Rex. I wonder if I cosplay the girl if I could get John to dress up as the dinosaur. Mary thought as an impish grin spread across her face.

"Security!" a man's voice yelled out pulling Mary back to reality. She turned her head to see a guy restraining another guy while a young girl in a short dress was staring daggers at the man. That must be one of those gropers Susan told me about. Then Mary unconsciously smoothed down her own short skirt. Sure, am glad I didn't get here any later that could have been me.

As soon as Mary exited registration to get away from all the excitement, she checked the time. "I better get to the room and change if I want to get to the restaurant on time."