finishing my flask of jack daniels,
shaun carefully parallel parks the car
i hand my ID to the bouncer,
and see a blonde girl at the bar as i turn the corner.
an old friend i made in london, charlie.
she greets me with a smile and long hug.
i can tell she is smiling even though i can't see her face.
i am too.

she buys me a whiskey drink
i tell her about work
we promise to hang out soon
i retreat to the smoking room and sit next to aki.
shaun's liter of beer sweats on the table,
he hands me a coupon to buy a pack a cigarettes at the bar
for a $1.50.
we smoke our cigarettes and head to the stage.

lee katie and chris enter through the crowd,
we're each greeted with three hugs.
katie and i step aside for a cigarette.
i buy another drink.
shaun aki and i retreat back to the smoking room.
we get so caught up with talking
that we miss all but one song of the band we came to see.

waiting to order another round,
lee katie and chris come to say goodbye and
to wish me a happy early birthday.

aki shaun and i leave the bar half an hour before midnight.

approaching my apartment
aki asks why shaun was dropping me off -
"i want to buy all of us jack in the box,"
he explained.
offering me a ride to work the next morning,
i run inside to get my things for work
and jump back in the car.

we are greeted to a tired colin and sleeping jess
at their house.
they wish me a happy birthday.
i look to confirm with the clock that midnight had passed.

i slept more peacefully that night than i have in awhile.