That Was the Night.

That Was the Night

Right Now

Oh what a night! I hope that I never go through another like it ever again. Company New Year’s parties are such a bad idea, particularly when you do not particularly like where you work, or your boss. There were parts that I liked – the free-flowing alcohol at no cost to the employees comes first in my memory of the night.

Look at me now. I am lying in bed with the clothes that I wore last night. That even includes my shoes. And I do not remember getting into my apartment and I certainly cannot bring to mind putting myself to bed on top of the covers.

The strange thing is that while I understand feeling no pain last night after all the alcohol I consumed, that painlessness has carried over into this morning. There is not even a slight hint of a hangover. I would have thought that I would have earned one with all the dedication I gave to my drinking on the night.

What Can I Remember?

What can I remember? There must have been something going on other than my drinking. Oh, yeah, I can picture flirting, actually more coming on strong, to the boss’s sexy secretary, the one that company gossip says the boss is sleeping with, unknown to his wife. She eventually got through to me that I should be taking “no” as an answer. I can even remember that the boss gave me a dirty look when I was talking to her, like I was taking something that he felt was rightfully his. Well, he shouldn’t have looked at me like that, him being married and all.

Right Now

I should get up. I don’t feel sleepy. Maybe I should go to the coffee shop and get something to eat and safe to drink. I should get undressed and put on other clothes. But these don’t stink. At least there is nothing that my nose can detect. I’ll just go as I am. It is not like that place has any standards regarding who they serve.

There Must Be More

There must be more that I can remember. Oh, yeah, meeting the boss’s wife. When I saw her, I dipped a glass into the punch bowl, walked over to her, and offered her a drink. I had seen pictures of her in the bosses office, so I recognized her.  And she accepted the drink. Looking at her closely for the first time, I saw that she was a rather attractive woman. I remember thinking, “I do not understand why the boss would want to cheat on you with his secretary. You’re every bit as good-looking as she is. I just do not understand it.” Now, did I just think that, or did I actually say it out loud. I really cannot remember. Not a bit.

Right Now

I am walking down the stairs to the coffee shop. Strange how dark it is outside. I was pretty sure that it was well into the morning when I woke up. I must have been mistaken, although usually I sleep in after a big night of drinking. It must be different this time. It looks like it is very early in the morning.

Remembering More

I am remembering more now. The boss’s wife, Helen I think her name is, didn’t talk to me at all, not even a thank you for the drink that I gave her. She just gave me a look like I was standing in front of her in just my underwear, not that I have ever done so before with a woman that I didn’t know.  I know that I hadn’t shed my clothes at the party. I would certainly remember that. Oh well, maybe she has a really horrible personality. Maybe that is why the boss is shopping around for someone new. That must be it.

Right Now

That’s funny. I don’t feel any cold in the air, yet I know it was well below freezing last night when I was walking home as snow was falling down. Maybe I have acquired some superpowers over night: stronger than a hangover after a night of drinking; more powerful than the cold of a January morning. It’s Dan the man, Dan the invincible.

Some Nasty Details

My memory seems to be opening up, letting out more of the details of last night’s party. I can remember a very angry boss walking up to me and shouting in my face, poking his thick index finger in my chest at the same time. He clearly had a point that he wanted to make. I remember the words “big trouble” and “big mouth”, and some kind of threat that I couldn’t quite understand. I figured then that the night had grown old, and that I should be getting myself home. I did not want to encounter the boss again at that party. It might get physical. And he was a big man, much bigger than me. And he was known to have quite a temper.

           Then another memory comes to me. I can’t believe that I actually did that. I saw the boss’ car – a big black limousine of some sort. Obviously out of my mind with drink, and not a little angry at the boss, I took a key out of my pocket, and scratched the hood of his car with it. My memory is not so clear as to what I wrote after that.  And did I actually sign it with a capital D?  I was definitely letting my anger do the talking.

           After that I walked into the park that was surrounded by a circular road, on one side the location of the party, on the other, the apartment building where I live.  I remember now that I stopped a little while to sit down on a bench in the middle of the park. I needed to catch my breath.

           Then I can recall going to cross the street to get to my apartment building, then seeing what looked like a big black car approaching me at some speed. That’s a scary memory. I must have had a really close call. 

Right Now

           I cross the road to the coffee shop. The road has been cleared, but there is still a fair bit of snow from last night on the sidewalk. As I start walking on the sidewalk, I look down for some unknown reason. My feet are not making any footprints, any marks in the snow.