Hey- I'm out for the night. I'm headed to some punk show in the Mission and I thought I'd post the beginning of "Three Nights of Barneydom." Yesterday, I got a chance to start in a little bit after work....
I woke up refreshed. I walked out my front door with my slippers on and there was my newspaper. Arent neighbors great when they bring up your paper from outside. I drank some coffee and finished my paper with fifteen minutes before my self imposed deadline to start work.
The day went great. I got all my work done and I was ready to enjoy the night. Earlier in the week I had gone out to dinner with a girl that I had recently met. Its probably been a month or so since I officially broke it off with my girlfriend of over three years. I loved my girlfriend, but isnt single life great.
Sarah gave me a call and said that she was just hanging out with her roommates and that I should come over to hang out. She only lived a couple blocks from me, so I got dressed and headed out the door for the first time of the day. It was already dark. The wind slammed the front glass door. Im usually so careful about shutting the door as not to disturb the neighbors. It was cold too, so I threw on my sweater.
Sarah said she was drinking vodka tonics, so I decided to go by the store to pick up a six-pack of beer. The other night I had drank a little wine for the first time in a long time. My old girlfriend didnt drink and I pretty much didnt either, besides a couple times when I would party and break off with my guy friends.
Originally, I had bought the bottle of wine for company, but the other night I decided to bust it open. I didnt have a bottle opener so I had to get a little creative. It was pretty hilarious. I ended up drinking about half the bottle. I successfully didnt spontaneously combust into a crazed animal. The alcohol had a mild effect on me, and I ended up reading and going to bed. Things had changed since I last drank. I was in a completely different frame of mind.
It was a little overwhelming to see all the choices of beer in the liquor store. I decided to choose Heineken, crisp and classy. The guy at the counter didnt even card me. I guess its the city and I am twenty-eight, but Ive become accustomed to people thinking Im much younger. Maybe Ive become more hardened as the years slip by?
I made it to Sarahs house and she greeted me at the door. Her house was huge, three floors, a basement and a backyard. Now thats how you do it in the city. She lived with four other guy roommates who all seemed pretty cool. Earlier she explained to me that she had to find a place to move from L.A. before her college and the housing market was pretty slim. We ended up hanging out by the fire in the backyard and listened to her South American roommate play the guitar and sing. As the night went by I drank my beers in a steady socially acceptable fashion and had a good time. It had gotten pretty cold, so we decided to go inside for the night. We hung out in the living room with two of her roommates and watched the Daily Show. They were smoking weed, and after a six-pack of beer, why not? I usually dont smoke, but tonight I felt like it, so I did.
It was getting pretty late for a Wednesday night and I could tell Sarah was getting a little tired, so I said my goodnights. She was a cool girl and I looked forward spending more time with her. Outside, it didnt seem as cold as before. I realized that even though I had work tomorrow, that the night was young. I realized that it was getting close 2:00 a.m., so I decided to head east to the bars up in the Inner Sunset. The fire burned inside of me and I knew with my endurance that I would make before last call. I was a brisk walking machine. Nothing could stop me.
Once I got to the bars, it looked like only one bar was open. From the outside the bar, looked kind of funky, almost like a college bar, but I didnt care. I just wanted to get a couple drinks before they closed. There were only a couple of people in the bar and I took a stool between the party of two girls and two guys. Right when I sat down, the bartender called last call. I quickly order a shot of Jack with a Budweiser back. The best bang for the buck. The Jack warmed me, the Budweiser refreshed me. I looked at the girl next to me and she looked pretty trashed and fisty. She was with her friend and I started chatting it up. They were friendly, though not too friendly to the others patrons. Soon the bar was closed and everybody was out. The Inner Sunset doesnt have much of a night life even though its right next to the University. I decided my best bet would head over to the Haight Steet area to see if anything was going on. I didnt really like the Haight that much, but hey it was close and something might be going on.
I got dropped off near Amoeba Records where Haight St. began at Golden Gate Park. There were a lot of people, but most of them were bums and people heading home from a night of drinking. I didnt know exactly what I was looking for, maybe an after hours club or a party, I dont know. I ended up walking to the store and getting a diet soda and a pack of cigarettes. I dont smoke, but I was buzzed and a cigarette sounded good. I took a stroll up the street and saw some guy with an army jacket on standing in front of a bar.
Hey, you really a soldier, I said.
Ya, just got back from Iraq, have the haircut to prove it, soldier said rubbing his head.
For some reason I felt inclined to talk with the person; a young kid just out of the army, now standing on Haight St. Im not much of a fan of the army or U.S. policy, but this guy just got back from war.
I woke up refreshed. I walked out my front door with my slippers on and there was my newspaper. Arent neighbors great when they bring up your paper from outside. I drank some coffee and finished my paper with fifteen minutes before my self imposed deadline to start work.
The day went great. I got all my work done and I was ready to enjoy the night. Earlier in the week I had gone out to dinner with a girl that I had recently met. Its probably been a month or so since I officially broke it off with my girlfriend of over three years. I loved my girlfriend, but isnt single life great.
Sarah gave me a call and said that she was just hanging out with her roommates and that I should come over to hang out. She only lived a couple blocks from me, so I got dressed and headed out the door for the first time of the day. It was already dark. The wind slammed the front glass door. Im usually so careful about shutting the door as not to disturb the neighbors. It was cold too, so I threw on my sweater.
Sarah said she was drinking vodka tonics, so I decided to go by the store to pick up a six-pack of beer. The other night I had drank a little wine for the first time in a long time. My old girlfriend didnt drink and I pretty much didnt either, besides a couple times when I would party and break off with my guy friends.
Originally, I had bought the bottle of wine for company, but the other night I decided to bust it open. I didnt have a bottle opener so I had to get a little creative. It was pretty hilarious. I ended up drinking about half the bottle. I successfully didnt spontaneously combust into a crazed animal. The alcohol had a mild effect on me, and I ended up reading and going to bed. Things had changed since I last drank. I was in a completely different frame of mind.
It was a little overwhelming to see all the choices of beer in the liquor store. I decided to choose Heineken, crisp and classy. The guy at the counter didnt even card me. I guess its the city and I am twenty-eight, but Ive become accustomed to people thinking Im much younger. Maybe Ive become more hardened as the years slip by?
I made it to Sarahs house and she greeted me at the door. Her house was huge, three floors, a basement and a backyard. Now thats how you do it in the city. She lived with four other guy roommates who all seemed pretty cool. Earlier she explained to me that she had to find a place to move from L.A. before her college and the housing market was pretty slim. We ended up hanging out by the fire in the backyard and listened to her South American roommate play the guitar and sing. As the night went by I drank my beers in a steady socially acceptable fashion and had a good time. It had gotten pretty cold, so we decided to go inside for the night. We hung out in the living room with two of her roommates and watched the Daily Show. They were smoking weed, and after a six-pack of beer, why not? I usually dont smoke, but tonight I felt like it, so I did.
It was getting pretty late for a Wednesday night and I could tell Sarah was getting a little tired, so I said my goodnights. She was a cool girl and I looked forward spending more time with her. Outside, it didnt seem as cold as before. I realized that even though I had work tomorrow, that the night was young. I realized that it was getting close 2:00 a.m., so I decided to head east to the bars up in the Inner Sunset. The fire burned inside of me and I knew with my endurance that I would make before last call. I was a brisk walking machine. Nothing could stop me.
Once I got to the bars, it looked like only one bar was open. From the outside the bar, looked kind of funky, almost like a college bar, but I didnt care. I just wanted to get a couple drinks before they closed. There were only a couple of people in the bar and I took a stool between the party of two girls and two guys. Right when I sat down, the bartender called last call. I quickly order a shot of Jack with a Budweiser back. The best bang for the buck. The Jack warmed me, the Budweiser refreshed me. I looked at the girl next to me and she looked pretty trashed and fisty. She was with her friend and I started chatting it up. They were friendly, though not too friendly to the others patrons. Soon the bar was closed and everybody was out. The Inner Sunset doesnt have much of a night life even though its right next to the University. I decided my best bet would head over to the Haight Steet area to see if anything was going on. I didnt really like the Haight that much, but hey it was close and something might be going on.
I got dropped off near Amoeba Records where Haight St. began at Golden Gate Park. There were a lot of people, but most of them were bums and people heading home from a night of drinking. I didnt know exactly what I was looking for, maybe an after hours club or a party, I dont know. I ended up walking to the store and getting a diet soda and a pack of cigarettes. I dont smoke, but I was buzzed and a cigarette sounded good. I took a stroll up the street and saw some guy with an army jacket on standing in front of a bar.
Hey, you really a soldier, I said.
Ya, just got back from Iraq, have the haircut to prove it, soldier said rubbing his head.
For some reason I felt inclined to talk with the person; a young kid just out of the army, now standing on Haight St. Im not much of a fan of the army or U.S. policy, but this guy just got back from war.