Another Zip Code
I wasn't able to play any cards last night. Instead, I went to the bar to hang out with friends. I got into a couple of good conversations with my friend Andy, who I've known for almost as long as I've worked for my company. I started in October, 1996, and Andy started 6 months later. We worked in the same after-hours group, so we both had the same screwed up schedule. We also understand each other's personalities very well since they're so similar. This was perfect recipe for "getting in trouble". :-)
Andy and I would go to clubs on our nights off and wander in at all hours of the morning. We've taken random road trips to God-knows-where just because we had nothing better to do. Andy's also been to Mardi Gras with me. He's one of the closest friends that I have, even after all these years.
Since Al has been on various trips without me this year, I've decided to take Andy with me if I get to go to the conference in New Orleans. (I love my husband, and I'm still going away with another man. I just need a break. ...and I'm still sore that they caught sailfish without me in Key West. lol) It's going to work out perfectly. Andy will have to work Sunday through Tuesday of that week, and he'll fly down on Wednesday. I'll have one more day of the conference, then we'll stay until Sunday. That gives us 3 good nights of partying. When we're down there for Mardi Gras, Andy and I don't get back to the hotel until the sun comes up. It's going to be a great trip.
I'm sure I'll get some grief from certain friends about going away with someone other than my husband. Why? Do they think that sleeping with someone else doesn't count if we're not in the same zip code? (Damn, I forget what movie that's from...) If that was the case, Al and I would have had problems long before now. It will probably make Al feel better that I'm not out drinking by myself. He knows Andy too and knows that there's never been anything (or ever will be anything) between Andy and I.
Why do people think that just because a woman has a good male friend, they would sleep together? Many of my best friends have been male. More often than not, I'd rather hang out with the guys than the girls. Over the last few years (since I've been married), I've gotten more female friends. I love hanging out with the female friends that I have. Before that, I had very few female friends, but those that I did were my best friends. Am I that threatening? Trust me, I really don't want your boyfriend/fiance/husband.
I've found that women are the worst when it comes to suspecting something adulterous when it comes to male/female interactions. I was at a bachelorette party with 12 other girls including the bride. I was one of two married women, one or two others had boyfriends, but the rest were single. We stayed at the hotel next to a club called Seacrets we were going to in Ocean City, MD. (Anyone who's been in OCMD usually knows the place I'm talking about.) We walked in and found a place to hang out.
First off, we didn't get there until 10 PM or so because it took these girls way too long to get ready. I'd had several beers in our suite while we were waiting. By the time we get in there, the place is pretty packed. While walking in, one of the girls thinks someone groped her in the crowd (and they probably did). She gets all freaked out and doesn't want to be anywhere near a crowd. Good luck. We ended up being on the back patio in mid-May. Not the warmest place, and I'd worn a little short-sleeve shirt planning for a hot bar.
We do shots to warm ourselves up. The bartender is a good guy and takes care of us. He gives the bride a couple of extra shots, etc. While hanging out, a couple of guys come over and start talking to us. The bride-to-be turns into bridezilla and freaks out on them. I'd had about enough at this point, but it's not my party.
More guys come up and talk to us. I'm having a very nice conversation with a guy about being married (we both were) and he was telling me about his cute little 4 year old son. Very innocent conversation, I thought. I had to deal with the girls coming up and making passing comments about how I was married. At this point I was reaching the end of my patience, and my conversation partner saw it. He was going in to watch the band with his friends, and I agreed to join him. I let one of the girls know where I was going and headed inside to warm up.
The guys were lots of fun. The bought me a few drinks, and we watched a decent band play. They got much better as I drank more. Towards the end, we were singing along with the music and dancing around. I thanked them for a good time and headed back out to my friends. When I got there, you would have thought that I just told the Pope to go to hell. One of the girls flipped out on me because she didn't know where I was. Since she wasn't my babysitter, I didn't think I needed to tell her. It seems that she thought I did. Whatever. We finish up a last drink and get ready to head out.
On the way out, one of the single girls stops to talk to a guy. Fine with me. The rest of the girls walk out and leave her there. All of them. I realized she'd been left and walked back. Luckily I did. She was so drunk that she never would have found her way back. The girls that left her were the same girls that freaked out on me for going inside to watch the band. I was furious. I guess since she was single, it didn't matter who she slept with (or got raped by) that night. I was the good friend and made sure she got back to the room safely.
Situations like these are the reasons why I like male friends. In college, my male friends kept me from getting thrown over the shoulder of a rugby player and getting drug home. [another story for another day] My male friends (usually) didn't think the same guys were cute and would get mad at me for talking to them. My male friends didn't get mad if I got attention and they didn't. I just can't deal with high-maintenance people.
I'm lucky that I have a husband that understands me. I still might catch grief from him about taking Andy to New Orleans, but that's only because he's not going. Serves him right for not taking me to Key West. I know it was a guys' trip. I should still get a vacation without him, though. He can listen to all the stories I'll bring back. I'll have to make sure I hang out with hookers and strippers, just to make it fair.
Andy and I would go to clubs on our nights off and wander in at all hours of the morning. We've taken random road trips to God-knows-where just because we had nothing better to do. Andy's also been to Mardi Gras with me. He's one of the closest friends that I have, even after all these years.
Since Al has been on various trips without me this year, I've decided to take Andy with me if I get to go to the conference in New Orleans. (I love my husband, and I'm still going away with another man. I just need a break. ...and I'm still sore that they caught sailfish without me in Key West. lol) It's going to work out perfectly. Andy will have to work Sunday through Tuesday of that week, and he'll fly down on Wednesday. I'll have one more day of the conference, then we'll stay until Sunday. That gives us 3 good nights of partying. When we're down there for Mardi Gras, Andy and I don't get back to the hotel until the sun comes up. It's going to be a great trip.
I'm sure I'll get some grief from certain friends about going away with someone other than my husband. Why? Do they think that sleeping with someone else doesn't count if we're not in the same zip code? (Damn, I forget what movie that's from...) If that was the case, Al and I would have had problems long before now. It will probably make Al feel better that I'm not out drinking by myself. He knows Andy too and knows that there's never been anything (or ever will be anything) between Andy and I.
Why do people think that just because a woman has a good male friend, they would sleep together? Many of my best friends have been male. More often than not, I'd rather hang out with the guys than the girls. Over the last few years (since I've been married), I've gotten more female friends. I love hanging out with the female friends that I have. Before that, I had very few female friends, but those that I did were my best friends. Am I that threatening? Trust me, I really don't want your boyfriend/fiance/husband.
I've found that women are the worst when it comes to suspecting something adulterous when it comes to male/female interactions. I was at a bachelorette party with 12 other girls including the bride. I was one of two married women, one or two others had boyfriends, but the rest were single. We stayed at the hotel next to a club called Seacrets we were going to in Ocean City, MD. (Anyone who's been in OCMD usually knows the place I'm talking about.) We walked in and found a place to hang out.
First off, we didn't get there until 10 PM or so because it took these girls way too long to get ready. I'd had several beers in our suite while we were waiting. By the time we get in there, the place is pretty packed. While walking in, one of the girls thinks someone groped her in the crowd (and they probably did). She gets all freaked out and doesn't want to be anywhere near a crowd. Good luck. We ended up being on the back patio in mid-May. Not the warmest place, and I'd worn a little short-sleeve shirt planning for a hot bar.
We do shots to warm ourselves up. The bartender is a good guy and takes care of us. He gives the bride a couple of extra shots, etc. While hanging out, a couple of guys come over and start talking to us. The bride-to-be turns into bridezilla and freaks out on them. I'd had about enough at this point, but it's not my party.
More guys come up and talk to us. I'm having a very nice conversation with a guy about being married (we both were) and he was telling me about his cute little 4 year old son. Very innocent conversation, I thought. I had to deal with the girls coming up and making passing comments about how I was married. At this point I was reaching the end of my patience, and my conversation partner saw it. He was going in to watch the band with his friends, and I agreed to join him. I let one of the girls know where I was going and headed inside to warm up.
The guys were lots of fun. The bought me a few drinks, and we watched a decent band play. They got much better as I drank more. Towards the end, we were singing along with the music and dancing around. I thanked them for a good time and headed back out to my friends. When I got there, you would have thought that I just told the Pope to go to hell. One of the girls flipped out on me because she didn't know where I was. Since she wasn't my babysitter, I didn't think I needed to tell her. It seems that she thought I did. Whatever. We finish up a last drink and get ready to head out.
On the way out, one of the single girls stops to talk to a guy. Fine with me. The rest of the girls walk out and leave her there. All of them. I realized she'd been left and walked back. Luckily I did. She was so drunk that she never would have found her way back. The girls that left her were the same girls that freaked out on me for going inside to watch the band. I was furious. I guess since she was single, it didn't matter who she slept with (or got raped by) that night. I was the good friend and made sure she got back to the room safely.
Situations like these are the reasons why I like male friends. In college, my male friends kept me from getting thrown over the shoulder of a rugby player and getting drug home. [another story for another day] My male friends (usually) didn't think the same guys were cute and would get mad at me for talking to them. My male friends didn't get mad if I got attention and they didn't. I just can't deal with high-maintenance people.
I'm lucky that I have a husband that understands me. I still might catch grief from him about taking Andy to New Orleans, but that's only because he's not going. Serves him right for not taking me to Key West. I know it was a guys' trip. I should still get a vacation without him, though. He can listen to all the stories I'll bring back. I'll have to make sure I hang out with hookers and strippers, just to make it fair.
posted by EvieMarie at 4:45 PM
6 Comments:
And pictures. You need to bring back pictures.
Amen, sister. Couldn't agree with you more. I have more male friends then female and the female friends I have are well rounded -people- .. they aren't all 'girly' - hate that...lol...
sex
sex
Its the "Harry Met Sally" mentality most people have.
Its cool you two have a marriage that's so trusting like that.
I think at the very least Al deserves a dial-a-shot from NO...oh, and if you can have one of the girls talk sexy to him on the phone I'm sure that will make his night cuddling with the pillow that much more SWEEEET!!!
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