Muscle and Booze! Join in the Chant!
It was at that point where the DJ was making a fairly clunky transition that I paused dancing, and Lisa caught my attention with a jerk of her head and a silent plea from her lips. Her new girlfriend, Rosa, was staring down into her drink, desperately trying to limit the contact with the black clad stranger next to her. I left the dance floor, rounded the corner and dropped my six foot plus, two hundred twenty odd pound, leather clad frame down next to her and loudly said "Hello!" We chatted like old friends, though we had just met hours before, and Lisa slide a rum runner in front of me, along with a bottle of water. The stranger left us to our conversation, which turned to the the amazing Chinese dancer working the blocks.
Three drinks down and all systems normal, I thought to myself. This wasn't just my regular Saturday night pilgrimage; tonight I was there in the service of Science! I'd noticed a disturbing trend over the past week where my nights would spiral down in their old patterns of despair, both at club nights and after the awards dinner when I working in Natick (and discovering that I now like Manhattans). What is the culprit, the cause? Is it chemically based, or environmental? I decided to treat this night like any other, and once a few of Rosa's friends arrived I slid out to the dance floor again.
The night eventually ended, and it found Rosa and I huddled outside the club, boxes of pizza in our hands, feeding each other bread sticks as we waited for Lisa to emerge. We fended off belligerent drunks and an amorous couple seeking Rosa's affections. I caught the Stranger out of the corner of my eye. We locked eyes for a second then he dropped his gaze and trudged on. After what seems hours, Lisa emerged and we made our way to an after party that, it turns out, was canceled. We drove back to Arlington in our respective cars, said good night (Lisa is my next door neighbor) and crashed in our respective beds.
The evening was a rousing success, and I will not have to give up drinking in the foreseeable future. Long work days and exhaustion are bigger triggers than drinking. Envy and frustration are bigger ones yet. Looking after other people, being trusted, and being a good friend are the best ways to guarantee a great evening. As it should be.
Three drinks down and all systems normal, I thought to myself. This wasn't just my regular Saturday night pilgrimage; tonight I was there in the service of Science! I'd noticed a disturbing trend over the past week where my nights would spiral down in their old patterns of despair, both at club nights and after the awards dinner when I working in Natick (and discovering that I now like Manhattans). What is the culprit, the cause? Is it chemically based, or environmental? I decided to treat this night like any other, and once a few of Rosa's friends arrived I slid out to the dance floor again.
The night eventually ended, and it found Rosa and I huddled outside the club, boxes of pizza in our hands, feeding each other bread sticks as we waited for Lisa to emerge. We fended off belligerent drunks and an amorous couple seeking Rosa's affections. I caught the Stranger out of the corner of my eye. We locked eyes for a second then he dropped his gaze and trudged on. After what seems hours, Lisa emerged and we made our way to an after party that, it turns out, was canceled. We drove back to Arlington in our respective cars, said good night (Lisa is my next door neighbor) and crashed in our respective beds.
The evening was a rousing success, and I will not have to give up drinking in the foreseeable future. Long work days and exhaustion are bigger triggers than drinking. Envy and frustration are bigger ones yet. Looking after other people, being trusted, and being a good friend are the best ways to guarantee a great evening. As it should be.