magicbeans. nothing if not awkward.

Er!n was supposed to be done with all her work for the semester today, and had talked of celebrating by going to the Squidport and drinking mojitos by the water. She ended up getting the deadline of a paper extended until Friday, and wanted to spend most of today catching up on sleep, but told me she'd call if she didn't end up sleeping the whole day, and we'd still go out for a few drinks.

We met at a bar nearer her house during happy hour and she drank two-for-one frozen margaritas while I had two-for-one pints of beer. And salads. Her friend Wing-Yi met us there, and we made a full evening of it. Er!n has told me that she probably shouldn't be drinking because of her mercury-related health issues, but she really needed the opportunity to relax and unwind.

And it was spring and we were at a sidewalk cafe and this is what life should be like more often. Er!n got a phone call about a friend's band playing at Lit. Wing-Yi got into a cab. Er!n and I headed a few blocks southwest.

On the way I say to her, 'So, you get me drunk. You introduce me to your very attractive friend. And then she gets in a cab and heads home.'

'You could have gotten into the cab with her. To see that she got home safely. I wasn't going to stop you.' But of course it's never that easy, and even drunk, both of us know it. Also, I'm sure she had no intention of setting us up. Before Wing-Yi arrived she told me, 'I'm sorry I don't have the perfect friend for you. But I really don't.'

The band had finished playing by the time we got to Lit, but I did see a familiar face among the fairly small crowd at the bar. 'I've been meaning to call you,' I said. 'I swear. It's just that I'm afraid of phones. You are too, I know.' It's Robin. Our mutual fear of phones was one of the first things we ever talked about.

'Well, we really should hang out,' she says. 'Pinky swear?' She holds out her little finger to me.

There being no band, Er!n was ready to go home. 'What are you going to do?'

'I think I'm going to go back in the bar and have another drink.'