Belated Birthday Party

Parties. I don't like parties. Even if I knew everyone attending, I still don't think I'd like parties. They're overwhelming. Everyone gets too loud, too close, too unpredictable, and for some stupid reason everybody always stands.

Today was Friend E's belated birthday party, set up by his parents at their house. I'm old enough now, confident enough too, to go - but do my own thing. I greeted the parents, the belated birthday twins (and gave them both handwritten cards and checks), the people I didn't know, and of course, my other friends too. Then I bee-lined it toward the soft, blue, medium-sized couch, where I enthusiastically plopped down. The TV was on with four channels simultaneously playing; it was, in a word, overstimulating. When people came to sit down, I chatted with them, laughed with them, interested in what they had to say, but when they stood up I didn't join them. It's nice, finally finding a way to enjoy myself at these events. This is all to say, when you have a party make sure to always have comfy places to sit.