No Job, No Car, No Problem!

The Big V

Beckey and I are out at one of my favorite bars tonight.  I guess it’s not necessarily the bar that makes it my favorite, it’s the memory I have of this place that I enjoy most.  This was where Beckey and I came a couple years back, when Ken actually hit on me and I chickened out on reciprocating his forwardness.  It was that night that I created the friendship that would never grow to be anything more, despite how badly I yearned for it.  I remember how happy I was having Ken all over me that night.  It’s that memory that makes this one of my favorite bars.

It’s not as crowded as it usually is.  Though it’s only about 8:00pm and people don’t tend to get the party started until 10:00 or 11:00 on a Saturday night.  “Let’s go try to get a table,” Beckey says to me.  Turning to look around we spot the most perfectly located table, with a ‘Reserved’ sign on it.  “We may as well ask the waitress if we can have it.  I mean it is empty after all.”  There are two guys lurking next to the reserved table already.  Obviously they are thinking the same thing we are.  “Hey guys, is this your table?”

“Nope,” they say shaking their heads.  “Is it yours?”

“It is now!” we reply laughing and grabbing the seats.  “Care to join us?”

Wouldn’t you now it, now the waitress arrives.  “Excuse me this table is reserved for another party.  But that table over there is open,” she says pointing to an even better table ten feet away.  How did we miss that one?  Beckey and I race for it as more people pour into the bar.

“Come on, join us,” we say to the guys that were stalking the ‘Reserved’ sign along with us.

Though I hadn’t wanted to go out earlier in the evening, this night as ended up being one of the best nights out I’ve had in quite awhile.  The two guys we invited to join us are instant friends.  They are harmless, unpretentious and a lot of fun.  The four of us make fun of each other, inappropriately hit on one another and joke about topics from dating to sports to politics to witchcraft.  We laugh at everything until we cry and our bellies hurt.  Who can beat a night like this?  It’s already apparent to me that these two guys will end up long time friends of mine.

Sipping my drink and looking over to my right I spot Lyle.  Lyle and I used to work together but he quit about two months ago.  I never knew him well but he always seemed like a lot of fun.  He’s hyper, much like me, and friendly with everyone.  I should go say hi and see how he is doing.  I tap him on the shoulder, “Hey Lyle, how are you doing?”

“Jenny!  How the heck are you?  Wow, I haven’t seen anyone from that place in a long time.  What are you drinking?  Let me buy you a margarita.”

“Okay, thanks!”  When was the last time a guy offered to buy me a drink?  Maybe I will stand here for a bit.  “So Lyle, how is the new job going?”

Lyle goes into as little detail as possible on his new position, but mentions that he has increased his salary by 15 percent.  He owns his own condo and just bought a brand new car.  Plus he’s buying me a drink.  I already know he’s both funny and nice.  Could Lyle be a serious dating opportunity?  “So Jenny,” he says rather intoxicated, “Are you single?”

“I’m recently dumped as a matter of fact.”

 “What?” Lyle exclaims.  “What a fool.  Come hang out with me and my buddy.”

“Actually Lyle, I’m sitting over there with my friends.  You can come over if you like.  It’s too crowded over here.” I bump into at least four pretentious, stuck up, blonde skinny girls, backing away from Lyle.

“I agree” he says rolling his eyes at the looks the bitchy girls throw.

“Hey guys, this is Lyle,” I tell Beckey and my two new friends.  “We used to work together.”