Fun and Games

“Are you coming tonight?” was the message I got from my well-intentioned but oblivious friend, Lauren.

Sometimes I wonder why I hang around her or what she sees in a guy like me. We made it clear we have no feelings for each other. She likes sports, but I don’t particularly care about them. Tell me the score if you must, but being the only one in my family born in this state leaves me wondering about my loyalties when it comes to such shallow things.

“Maybe.” That was my response.

“Aww, c’mon Noah, it’ll be fun!”

“Fun for who, Lauren?”

“Just give it a chance. If you don’t let yourself live once in a while, you miss out on life!”

“ And what if I find it an utter waste of time?

“You know few can handle the truth.”

“ I’ll give you the address, and if you don’t like it, you don’t have to stay.”

“I’m going to need more than that.”

“I’ll give you a gift card towards that new Drone you had your eye on.”

“Fine, I’ll come!”

So Lauren coaxed me to come out for a night of fun at a bowling alley that had karaoke that night. I was not going to lie; I did sometimes work the nerve to try it, especially if I could afford to drink a couple of beverages before going up. Sometimes it’s easier when no one crucial knows you, and you can walk home because you live close by. This would be different, this was a high school reunion, and everyone I liked or hated would be there. I would definitely need the liquid courage to get through this night.

“I have arrived.” I texted

“We’re in the bar area.”

“ How convenient.”

Before she could text further, I sauntered over to the bar area, and they put a wristband on my arm. Remember, no one crucial knows me, but that term is relative. Needless to say, I play if cool with security, and they never have a problem with me. That said, I’m a bit more of a fixture here than I like to admit. No, I don’t have an alcohol problem; this place just has that vibe that most nights I don’t need alcohol to perform because no one will remember the next day, though I do like to support a local business. I order a passionate hugging on the beach at the bar and get my song in. This drink feels unusually strong, or maybe it is the atmosphere. After what seemed like a while, I take the stage, and it feels as if I’m surrounded by screaming fans and pyrotechnics that are illegal at American concerts but commonplace in Germany at metal concerts. The music begins, but I’d be a fool not to do a song I’d done thousands of times over and resonated well with the usual clientele. For copyright reasons, I cannot say exactly which song I performed that night, but safe to say people were dead silent initially once I’d finished, then applauded, hooting and hollering as I did my Rockstar stage exit.

No one knew. No one was supposed to know. I’m not a real rock celebrity, but I’d been practicing here for the better part of the last decade, so the songs I do most often would be much more polished than someone performing for their first couple of songs. Truth be told, I needed booze to even pretend to enjoy most of the other performances. I suppose karaoke was supposed to be a tone-deaf paradise, but it’s my equivalent to church since I don’t feel like I fit in with any specific faith. I’m too independent for that, I guess, or absent undeniable proof one way or another, I’d rather live as if life is the only thing close to heaven any of us will ever know, and thus I must make it so. That being said, it was both painful and somewhat satisfying to finally have something I could do better than the ones I grew up with. They were all brighter or more muscular than me, or so it appeared. Maybe we were all stupid back in high school. I cannot know for sure. My thoughts are interrupted by Lauren, who just finished her performance, and while she wasn’t precisely tone-deaf, anyone could hear she was nervous as a mouse being stalked by a cat when singing. I never would have figured since it was her idea to come out here, and she is super extroverted.

“Wow, you made it look so easy!”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I’ve never seen you look so confident amid a crowd.”

“I had a cocktail before going up; it’s not that impressive.”

“No, but I mean the way you could sound so well-rehearsed as well as calm the others had like thrice as many drinks as you just to get up there.”

“And it shows.”

“Hey, now we can’t all be a rock star!”

“I’m not one; I just did a song I’ve been performing here for the last ten years. I’m pretty sure if any of you kept the habit, you’d sound better than me.”

“That’s your problem; you never had any confidence about anything.”

I didn’t know what else to say at the moment. However, I have to admit it kind of felt good to be complimented on something for once. And for once, I’d come out of my shell to people I knew. Then again, it could have been the alcohol talking. Ah, nature’s hug and speak of the devil her arms are around me now. She drank a Singapore Throw. If that was her first drink ever, she’s going to have an awful time keeping her head up. I’d better call her a ride back when we’re done. Then again, she lives pretty far, and I don’t want to chance she’ll not make it home okay. I order her some food quickly to help her regain her footing. She seems a bit better after something to eat.

“I’m one to talk, but you really shouldn’t consume alcohol on an empty stomach; they make the drinks so strong I shudder to think you’ll make it home if you’re not careful.”

“I don’t want to impose, but since you live nearby, could I crash with you?”

“Why me?”

“Because I’ve known you long enough that you wouldn’t take advantage of me in this situation.”

“You’re not wrong.”

She was right, though. I’d had my times when I was a bit wilder in my early adult years. I was still pretty tame back then when it came to issues of relationships. One could even say I was boring then and would get progressively more as I lost hope of such things.

“You going to go up again, Rockstar?”

“In a moment, Damien, I kind of have a code DZ on my hands.”

“Heh, I think she likes you a lot.”

“Nah, some people just get more affectionate when drunk; I’ve seen it before.”

Damien wasn’t anyone I exceptionally bonded with, just the athletic one who tried to push me to stay active till we graduated. Guess he eventually realized the body-building life isn’t for everyone, and sometimes just being physically fit or not obese was sufficient. Truth be told, I never really took the time to know him that well.

I went keeping an Eye on Lauren back to the stage, so she didn’t fall off her chair. Once more, I followed up with a song I felt a little more in the mood to sing to vent how I initially felt coming out here. To no one’s surprise, they ate it up; It must have been the alcohol. A couple hours had passed, and far as I could tell, no one but Lauren and I had done less than two drinks by this point, even if they sipped it slowly.

After that, the night was finally over, and Lauren was able to walk but still wobbly. I brought her home and let her rest on my bed while I took the couch. I put a bucket next to the bed just in case, but luckily, she didn’t seem to need it. Of all the people singing that night, she had the voice of an angel, even if she was nervous. I would be lying if I said I didn’t have fun that night, so Lauren, you won the bet. You don’t have to give me that gift card.

Hmm, now that I think about it, could there, in fact, be some chemistry between us? Because we know the other isn’t out for anything, in particular, we’ve built a bond in this platonic relationship? Not going to lie seeing her sleep so peacefully on my bed; it is kind of cute. But rules are rules only couples share the bed if they are the opposite sex. Besides, I would rather we both be of sound mind before further bonding takes place.

The next day came, and we both had a mild headache, though I was shocked to have woken up with Lauren’s arms around me on the couch.

“Morning Noah, did you have fun?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Wonderful, well, I ordered us some breakfast.”

“Thanks.”

I reached out to give her the typical breakfast costs for my share, but she pushed my handful of money away.

“No need you came out on my invitation, so I should pay for this.”

“If you insist.”

As we ate our breakfast, I thought about activities we could do since I rarely have company over.

“Noah, I thought there is an interesting exhibit at the local museum; maybe you’d like to go with me.”

“Oh? I never pictured you to be into that sort of thing.”

“And I never pictured you to be the type to get up on stage and sing like a pro.”

“You got me there. Ironic that we’ve known each other since elementary school, yet how well did we truly know one another?”

She smiled as I hailed us a mobile ride into town. Even if I did drive, it would not be wise to drive a car within twenty-four hours of drinking. Once at the museum, I couldn’t help but notice how she admired the exhibits of mammoths and other prehistoric creatures.

“Lauren, do you ever wonder what ancient civilizations would think of our current world?”

“Not particularly Noah, but it must have been interesting living in a time when you could paint the walls and if wasn’t graffiti to them.”

“True, I don’t think I’d have survived as a hunter back then.”

We moved on to look at the evolution of birds and mammals and then moved on to the outer space exhibit. My eyes lit up, seeing the various planets. Just then, I overheard a person asking if any of the Telescopes could see past Uranus, to which an astronomer confirmed they didn’t have that. I wonder how often they have to keep a straight face when people ask such sophomoric questions. Just wondering such is okay; Though he pronounced it like the rectal cavity rather than something made of urine. Then again, I suppose you’re in us is just as juvenile if said the same way. My thoughts were interrupted when I noticed a glaring exhibit that showed Pluto is no longer a planet.

To think we’d been taught an incorrect fact as kids. Suppose it shows my age, as we were also taught blue blood cleans the red blood in our bodies in elementary school. Can’t believe my scientist parents just went along with it then again; they probably knew they’d get called in if I got into an argument with my teacher over scientific facts.

After viewing everything there was to see, including the butterfly exhibit outside, we went to the Museums lunch cafeteria where I had a hot dog and Lauren had a hamburger. Lauren giggled as she watched me eat my hot dog.

“What?”

“I always wondered if you were gay.”

“I’m eating a hot dog; there’s nothing gay about it.”

“Not that just, you never seemed interested in anyone in High School, from what I could tell.”

“I was too mature for the people around me, I think, and well, the company I did keep felt more like family to me than friendships.”

“Makes sense, I guess.”

“I never understood why society placed so much emphasis on who was getting engaged. Last night I saw a bunch of people who had jobs that let them have a family.”

“Ah yes, to get a job worth having, you have to know people these days.”

“Or stay ahead of trends and be capable of running your own business and developing your own apps.”

“Yeah, but the key is never to give up; I’m sure you’ll find something soon. The Noah I know never gives up!”

“I was a kid then and much less educated.”

“Nevertheless, you seem otherwise happy when I see you.”

“Because you help me forget what’s in my head else, I’d have never gone out that night and risked embarrassing myself.”

There was a momentary pause in the conversation.

“Noah, do you ever think because we go way back and have gained trust in one another, it might be more special than the relationships that are romantic?”

“Perhaps, Lauren, I mean it is kind of nice having just one person I can confide in without worry of judgment.

“I agree, Noah; it is like having a living teddy bear, you can confide your darkest secrets, and it’ll still remain fluffy and huggable.”

Somehow her words brought a blush to my face as I thought of how to respond. Perhaps there is more to life than having a wife and kids, sometimes I thought. Sometimes we just need that one friend who is there for us.

“Well, I should be getting home soon. If you need me to be your teddy bear, come by when you want, but for what it’s worth, I’d rather we be sober next time you come.”

Lauren nodded understanding as we walked outside and waited for separate ride shares. I watched the sunset as I went home. It was a pretty fun twenty-four hours for what it was worth, and I’d do it again.