What does it mean?

So last night D and I went out for a much needed night of mayhem. We started off Downtown at the Kell's tent for St Patrick's day. We spent $40 to get in, $15 for food, $20 on four beers and ended up leaving by 7:30 or so. St Patrick's was Friday night, so it kind of ended up being the "left over" or second string crowd. So we left for better scenery.

The true goal of the night though, was to get liquored up and end up at the infamous Amateur Night at the local strip club. No worries--I am not trying out a new career! I just felt like doing something naughty. All this work and school is really starting to get to me. I can only be so good for so long. So I brought it up to D a few weeks back. He wasn't quite convinced it was a good idea. Who the hell has to talk their husband into going to the strip club? I do. I left the subject alone, afraid he would get weird about me being so anxious over the whole thing. So finally, Friday he let on that it was a go.

After leaving Kell's we ended up at another bar where I polished off three vodka tonics before leaving to go to the club. Going to the strip club is kind of one of those things you cannot really call a friend up for and invite her along. I mean, really, I don't have too many friends who would be into that sort of thing. I mean I do have a couple of girlfriends that are sometimes apt to take a walk on the wild side with me, but as the years have gone by circumstances have changed so this sort of thing would be very out of the ordinary to ask. In fact, I did try to convince my best friend to go, but even she was not really sure. So I had resigned myself to going it alone with my hubby.

Before we get there my husband says to me, "Now don't let anyone try to talk you into getting up on stage." What the hell?!? Seriously, what would make him say such a thing? Sure enough, at the door, the first question to me is, "So are you going to be in the contest tonight?" To which I quickly reply, "Um, NO." My husband was really uncomfortable the moment we got in the door. In fact, he was ready to go when, across the room, he spots a familiar face.

"Hey, is that BEST FRIEND from high school?"

"Where?"

"Over there in the corner."

"It looks like BEST FRIEND."

"If it is, she sure has blown up."

"I swear it is her. I would recognize her face. Okay, if BEST FRIEND can be here right, now. I sooo can be here, too."

Just then, BEST FRIEND sees me, too. The recognition is there, so I move across the room towards her.

BEST FRIEND and I had a falling out many, many years ago over some stolen Billy Joel tickets that landed her in the security office of the Rose Garden. I had gotten the tickets from someone else for free and really had no interest in going. When BEST FRIEND found out I had the tickets, she offered to buy them. Well, at the time I really needed the money, so I sold them to her. When we found out the tickets were stolen, I was trying to protect my other friend, so I lied about where I got them. It turned into a big mess and ended an eight year friendship. However, unlike so many other people who were once a big part of my life, BEST FRIEND has never gone away. I run into her everywhere. And not just in St John's, but like Beaverton, Downtown, the mall, Nike campus, and now the strip club! What does it all mean? Now more than ever, I feel like some unforseen force in the universe has been trying to pull us back together the whole time. How could it be that afterall the time that has passed, we are still so much more alike then we are different?

"I knew that was you! D wasn't so sure, but I knew it! How the heck are you?"

"Well, I am about ready to give birth!"

"What?!? Oh my gosh! You are pregnant! When are you due?"

"Eight days from now."

"Where is your husband?"

"Oh, he is working security downtown at Kell's." Okay another strange coincidence.

"Really? We just came from there."

We started chatting more and just catching up. I pulled up a seat and the Amatuers took to the stage. Hillarious!

"Okay, seriously, why don't we talk anymore? We obviously keep meeting up like this for a reason."

"I know. I gave D my phone number and address. We just live right behind the high school on Smith Street. Give me a call. I mean it."

Sometimes life is interesting. I think I will give her a call. Just when I was looking for a friend, a friend appeared once again.