Some nights are just good -- despite all the elements that could normally derail everything.
My friend Jay and I heard that there was a themed birthday party a block or so away. She got the email invite and I didn't. I wasn't mad -- such is the nature of our school that you find out about everything one way or another anyways. I can't even imagine how many times over the years I've gone stomping through someone's house, drinking their shit without even knowing their names or faces. That's the Wes experience.
She came over and we broke out my bottle of champagne (cheap, natch. That's extraneous information. I've been drinking the cheap shit for years. Yesterday in the liquor store I asked my friend Alex as I suppose I once asked my Mommy about the Tooth Fairy or getting big: "When do you think I'll grow out of drinking cheap liquor? How do people get out that habit?" and he sagely replied, "Probably when you start making real money." Word.). Alex and Tino came by also and we just chilled in the kitchen.
It's always fun clashing together my friends. The boys are mostly reformed hippies who used to sport white boy dreds. (Ugh. I'm very fond of telling that I would've never been their friend then.) We've gotten super close in the past 2 years or so and I've spent many days watching (yes, I did say watch) them smoke up while reggae blared in the background, followed by much alcohol consumption and random party crashing. Jay and I bonded in X House a.k.a. the black dorm on campus frosh year when they were just throwing kids in there and it was rundown. Our weekends always ran as: "yeah, it's midnight, we're gonna have some jello shots and then go find a party. We'll be back around 3." A favorite pastime was making fun of people doing the Pirate Ship Bounce (TM) -- which is that "dance" favored by people with no rhythm involving grinding and letting their hips swinging widely from side to side with a jerky knee-bending motion move them and their dance partner. Quite frightening. -- and her roommate. We haven't really changed much over the years. The four of us were hanging without any worlds coming to an end. I was telling someone last year that despite the differences of the people I hang with, they tend to have some element similar to me in there, so they tend to get along. Luckily for me.
The theme of the party was "D" in honor of the birthday girl's name. The email stated that you had to come as a D whatever. I poured the remnants of my champagne into an empty yogurt cup and filled it some more. I was going as "drunk." We got there and decided that most of the crowd decided to be "dorks" because despite just about everyone on campus at that place since it was the only game in town, that party was "dead." Even the torchbearer party scouts were "dejected" because they sadly confirmed that yes, this was all there was. "Disappointing." Yeah, okay. Enough with the "D." I'm "done."
Anyhoo, we were rescued by the appearance of these girls, one of whom lived next door. The 4 of us and the 3 of them piled into the kitchen, knocking back Jacks and Coke, vodka and cranberry, and a tequila shot or two. The girls are cool. I've known that over the years but it wasn't until fairly recently that I've spent any time with them. One confessed to me that she thought I was some bookwormish straight-laced good girl who ran home after every advertised party. What could I possibly do but laugh and laugh and I did. I'm not the most hardcore person I know, but I got home at 6am the night before and unfortunately (I suppose) many of these years were out and about when I should've been in and working. No matter now. I went out repeatedly to scout more blood for the room and scavenge cigs to share (I'm so addicted. Geez. It really doesn't take much. I can see my post-college self filled with cigarettes and coffee because I have problems having one of something and moving on. God help me if I move onto drugs...). Eventually it was 3am and 7 drunken kids plus one sleepy one were in the kitchen listening to Pete Yorn and Radiohead. Good times.
After a while, it came to an end and Jay and I walked through the foggy night off to my house. She said as I've heard from so many others: "I can't believe you liked Tino. Alex is way cuter." Indeed, but I've always been quite contrary and had it in my head that I wanted a challenge. Ah well. Water under the bridge. We sat on my couch waiting for her car escort to the other side of campus. After some water, I settled in under my blankets and was out until mid-afternoon.
Welcome to Senior Week.
Posted by Candicissima at May 18, 2003 02:42 PM