A couple of weeks back, I wrapped up work on a Friday evening and decided to head home. It had been, like every other week nowadays, an exhausting few days - and I was more than ready to curl up on the couch and watch mindless TV for a few hours. Along with a glass of chilled wine.
So I hopped over to the store next to office and picked up my favourite bottle. And then got a rude shock when I realized the number of people queued up to pay for their Friday evening party supplies.
Resigned, I got in line. And with nothing better to do, I did what I do best. Stare into space and start daydreaming.
And then this guy got into the line behind me - bumping into me, making me look around.
He was struggling with a huge crate of beer. Behind him, his gangly friend was struggling with another. "Wow", I thought, "Someone's having a party". And I turned back. And realized something.
The three other people in front of me were all dragging their drinks basket on the floor - one was overflowing with beer, one with every alcohol bottle known to man, one with two massive bottles of JD. Nobody had only one small bottle with them. Nobody.
Everybody, apparently, had plans that went beyond the TV and the couch. And suddenly, I felt...lonely.
Suddenly, I wanted a little more than my glass of wine. To have someone on the couch next to me. Someone I could sit silently next to, have conversations - or just be comfortably silent. Someone who's company was not an effort - but as fluid as breathing.
Don't get me wrong. It wasn't really a pity party. Contrary to appearances, I've never been a massive party animal. Given the choice, I would rather spend an evening at home with some close friends or a good book over anything else. But that day I realized, given the choice, I would give up even that evening with close friends or a good book to be with that special someone.
Given the choice, it would be nice - really, really nice - if at the end of the day I could keep aside that small bottle of wine. And pick up a six-pack of beer instead.
So I hopped over to the store next to office and picked up my favourite bottle. And then got a rude shock when I realized the number of people queued up to pay for their Friday evening party supplies.
Resigned, I got in line. And with nothing better to do, I did what I do best. Stare into space and start daydreaming.
And then this guy got into the line behind me - bumping into me, making me look around.
He was struggling with a huge crate of beer. Behind him, his gangly friend was struggling with another. "Wow", I thought, "Someone's having a party". And I turned back. And realized something.
The three other people in front of me were all dragging their drinks basket on the floor - one was overflowing with beer, one with every alcohol bottle known to man, one with two massive bottles of JD. Nobody had only one small bottle with them. Nobody.
Everybody, apparently, had plans that went beyond the TV and the couch. And suddenly, I felt...lonely.
Suddenly, I wanted a little more than my glass of wine. To have someone on the couch next to me. Someone I could sit silently next to, have conversations - or just be comfortably silent. Someone who's company was not an effort - but as fluid as breathing.
Don't get me wrong. It wasn't really a pity party. Contrary to appearances, I've never been a massive party animal. Given the choice, I would rather spend an evening at home with some close friends or a good book over anything else. But that day I realized, given the choice, I would give up even that evening with close friends or a good book to be with that special someone.
Given the choice, it would be nice - really, really nice - if at the end of the day I could keep aside that small bottle of wine. And pick up a six-pack of beer instead.
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