The Talk

My couple and I had the talk last night. You know the one. The talk that says, "it was fun while it lasted but I think we're better off as friends."

Paul was waiting outside the restaurant for holly to get out of work, it was around midnight. I was supposed to have been finished work by 9pm but I stayed to help holly clean up. We met up with paul at the car and began chatting. Every time we start chatting we end up sitting around for hours so, paul suggested we head to a local bar for a beer.

Normally I do not drink beer, I'm not fond of it, but I agreed. This would be the first time I'd actually drank in a bar in my town.

We decided on a smaller bar more likely to be occupied by more than a bunch of guys getting away from the wife and kids, meaning one likely to have other women. It also happens to be the one closest to my house. Holly and I shed our aprons and untucked our shirts and we headed inside.

I immediately recognized four people from my graduating class and thought, "so this is what's become of my generation, a bunch of lushes." I was never particularly close to many people in my class so it wasn't that I really cared all that much.

A guy I didn't recognize walked up to me almost as soon as I sat down and offered to buy me a drink. Already a good first bar experience, I thought. I agreed and ordered just a beer, on second thought I should have ordered a shot but I didn't know how long we'd be there and I would most likely have to drive home, I didn't want to risk it.

We sat there sipping our beers, holly had three and was already tipsy. This was the first time I'd ever seen holly drink and I was quite amused to see what a lightweight she was. We stayed until last call when we decided that we were hungry. We headed over to Denny's. Upon walking in there was a sign on the door, "Due to short staffing, there will be approximately a 45 minute wait." This, in conjunction with recognizing the horrible waitress was enough to send us down the street to another 24 hour diner. We were sat as soon as we walked in the door. Already better than a 45 minute wait for a horrible waitress. Though, as it turns out we ended up with a bad waitress anyway. She looked older than dirt and her memory was worse. The food, however, was delicious, just what we had needed. We took our time eating, we were there for about two hours.

Nearing the second hour paul chirped, "We have something we want to tell you, but I'm not sure this is the place to do it." I insisted he tell me. He started stammering something like, "..we really like hanging out with you, you're a really good friend..so, it's not that we don't like you.."

I already knew where this was going.

I had been feeling the same way for a while now as well. I could tell we all had, it just hadn't been articulated until now. I had been feeling that there was a mutual understanding that our fling was fun while it lasted, but that it was over and we were back to being just friends. There had not been any uncomfortable feelings among us, and immediately following our talk we were back to the cheery, happy-go-lucky threesome of friends. It was a great experience, they are wonderful people. Our time is over but we were all better for it.

To 'my couple', I happily say "Adieu."