This is me, just me

I really need to keep an eye on these dogs, don't I? I take my eyes off them for one minute and they write in my own personal journal. Humpf.

It seems I forgot to write about my Friday night at Child's Bar. I would mention the name of where she works, but she would kill me. Let's say it's a national chain that people seem to absolutely love.

She used to be waitstaff, but to my pleasure she has been tending bar for the last year. Most Friday evenings I meet my Late Friend at the mall where the bar is, and we walk for miles so we can pretend we are staying in shape. Of course we usually go in Nordstrom for dinner. I love their steak salad.

This Friday, Late was going to be, well, Late. So I decided - hey, I will go to the mall early enough to miss the ugly holiday traffic and go to see child. It makes sense, yes? Child was delighted to see both me and my bag of homemade cookies.

Want to get free drinks and food? Bake cookies from scratch.

First, she decided I should try Blue Moon beer. OK, I have a new favorite beer, right after Stella. Maybe before. I need to do a few more field tests and let them duke it out. She put orange in it, like lime in Corona. It was yummy. After that, I decided I wanted cranberry juice and vodka.

Oh, my. She gave me the "good stuff." I have never had Grey Goose before, but it got my vote. Guess what two things are on my shopping list? Cranberry juice is one.

By that time, Late showed up. I was almost able to stand up and say HI. She sighed, sat down at the bar, and had a very strong Diet Coke. I smiled. She gave up on the idea of walking miles and miles.

We ordered dinner because Late was hungry. I hadn't even had lunch. We had lettuce wraps. Child offered me champagne. Who turns that down? She offered me another. The manager came by and asked me to order a Key Lime Pie martini. We shared it. We shared another.

Late continued to sigh. I thought about all the hours I have waited for her, and smiled as I ordered another cranberry juice and vodka.

Right about that time, child's new boyfriend showed up and introduced himself to me. Luckily, I did not need to stand up. I smiled at him, too. And his brother. Late realized this was going to be fun to watch, and she smiled. She even ordered another diet Coke to go along with the oriental noodles and prawns. I do love prawns.

New bf and I sized each other up. OK, he is bigger than I am. So is child. You are too. Trust me.

He has a sense of humor. I took advantage of it, even if I saw at least six of him.

He said he had heard that child was a handful and acted out once or twice. Without hesitation, I said yes, especially all those women.

Oooh, that worked. He was speechless. She wasn't. Late ordered another diet Coke, but I think she really wanted rum in it.

How did I find out he has a sense of humor?

Have I mentioned that Late is a woman of color? When child said, "There is my mom!" guess which of us stuck up an arm?

It wasn't me.