Happy hour last night. First time in a long time. We drank a LOT. I honestly couldn't tell you how many I had. 4? 5? 6???
Drink 1, everything is pretty cordial. Tentative, bland jokes not worth remembering. I find myself chit chatting with HRP (#2 in the company).
Drink 2, things are getting louder and a little more lively. Somehow, not just our group, but the entire bar started singing happy birthday to NG1. Women talk about hair color, HRP talks about how terrible she looks with dark hair, I butt in to be a smart ass and facetiously say that she'd be SO beautiful no matter her hair color.
Drink 3, things start to get a bit boisterous. Women start laughing loudly about how much boob they're comfortable with their clothes exposing. "All but the nipple" was one answer. Someone from our group doesn't recognize someone else from our group and acts like a seat is taken. We make fun of her and people obnoxiously laugh so loud I'm certain you could hear it throughout the entire sprawling, winding restaurant. HRP slides over close to me and our bodies start bumping into each other in various places.
Drink 4, things take an emotional turn. NG1 talks about how an ex boyfriend, the love of her life at the time, threatened her and then held a gun to the side of her head and shot it. She is in therapy.
Drink ?, things start to get sloppy. HRP is blabbing away and the woman across from me is giggling uncontrollably. I lean over and ask if she's laughing at the way HRP is slurring her speech. Yes. HRP reaches out and pushes on my upper arm with her fingers, as though she is geniunely curious to feel my muscle, and makes no attempt to hide it.
Drink ?, I find myself across the table from HRP getting ready to arm wrestle. I make her do the grip with the lower hands. We squeeze both pairs of hands together tight. I look up and she is looking right into my eyes. I stare back at her. I smile. She just keeps intently looking into my eyes in a way that I unsuccessfully tried to rationalize as anything other than sexual desire. I let her win. Of course.
Drink ?, by this time, there were only four from our group left. Two people we'd done business with in the past just happened to walk in and joined us. I told one that I remembered he was from Canada. He started talking about being out of town some Monday because it was Canadian Thanksgiving or something. On a rough ridin' Monday. I told everyone that was total bullshit and that he was lying. And that seemed like a good time for me to leave.
The End