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I knew I was in for a good time when Natalie Cacciatore told me to take a deep breath and lean forward.
You'll get used to it, she assured, yanking the strings on the corduroy bodice.
Perfect fit. You'll make a great Agustina, she said. And don't be stingy with the makeup.
A day later, I'm headed to Ybor City in a long skirt and the killer corset, wondering if I would faint by night's end.
THE KREWE OF AGUSTINA de Aragon, a female, volunteer-based krewe, had invited me to be an "Agustina for the day" during the Krewe of Sant'Yago Knight Parade on Saturday. I'd walk the route and throw beads, experiencing first-hand Tampa's spirited krewe life.
The krewe met at Gaspar's Grotto, a new pirate-themed bar on Seventh Avenue. Women primped, swapped beads and got festive. Members of the Thorns, the krewe's male auxiliary, passed out "bling-blings" - costume accessories with blinking lights.
An hour later, we left for the parade staging area, chugging beers on the way out. "I used to be good at this," said one Agustina. "This should be warm or in a funnel."
THE STAGING AREA dazzled me the most. Dozens of parade units lined the streets, music blaring, kegs flowing, everyone in costume. Made you proud to live in Tampa. This can't possibly happen everywhere.
Agustinas were No. 97 out of 111 in the parade route. No. 96: the Krewe of St. Florian, Tampa Bay area firefighters. I was told we just got lucky.
The guys sounded the fire horn while pouring the sangria. Mike Brown of the 101st Airborne Division, still sunburned from serving in Iraq, dutifully gave women stick-on tattoos of Florian's logo.
It's all fun, the Agustinas said, hiking up their skirts and sticking out their chests.
Then president Bridget Robertson decreed: Ladies, follow me. We're off to see the Shamrocks.
Shamrocks, I asked? They're the guys who wear kilts with nothing underneath, Bridget said with a laugh.
Silly me.
We finally got rolling about 7:30 p.m. It was dark, and the two kegs on the float, spent. It was time for business.
Bridget outfitted me with a bead belt loaded with dozens of strands clipped to shower curtain rings. Think 20 beads are heavy around your neck? Try 200 around the waist. Members warned me to expect bruised hips at the end of the night, and I believed them.
"Newbie" Carol Walker, a first-year Agustina, and Lynda "L.A." Almengual showed me how to twirl. Watch out for tangling, they said. It happens to everyone. Just toss the wad to the crowd. We've got plenty more.
The route was packed with screaming bead-mongers of all kinds. One pregnant woman wrote "Baby Wants Beads" on her exposed stomach.
About 70 of the 263 Agustinas rode on the float. The rest walked the street. Friendly male security guards, some of them Thorns, kept tabs on everyone.
Walking turned into dancing for the krewe's signature songs. It's Raining Men was a favorite, along with Man! I Feel Like a Woman! Members broke into song with Agustina founder Peggie Sherry, a recent breast cancer survivor, when I Will Survive came on.
The krewe members say the parades reward their volunteer service. The group put in about 9,000 hours last year for various charities, from the Special Olympics to Toys for Tots.
Most of the women say they joined for camaraderie and community work, not wild parties. Even during the parades, it's a great feeling to give something to strangers, even if it's just a set of beads.
By 9:30, I was out of beads and out of time. My night as an Agustina was quickly fading.
Days later, my sore throwing arm has healed. The tattoo has faded. But not the memories.
Natalie was right. After a while, the corset felt fine.
- Susan Thurston can be reached at 226-3394 or thurston@sptimes.com