I Should Have Known Better

 So last evening, Wifey and I were sitting and treated to a bit of family tensosity -- nothing serious, but enough that I felt I needed an adult beverage. I never like to drink alone, but made an exception -- pouring a nice Ketel and sitting on the sofa, where Wifey and I ordered Uber Eats from Carrot Express.

The tensosity was accentuated by a call from a friend whose adult daughter was giving her some kishkes eating as well -- of a far more serious type. I'm well aware that turning to alcohol to deal with things can be a bad idea -- but when I turn to Dionysus, she often treats me very kindly.

A text came in, not unlike many texts I get lately -- from one of Wifey's OLD friends. With rare exceptions, Wifey doesn't return her friends' texts or emails promptly, if at all. She has narrowed the roster of people she truly likes to deal with to a very small one -- as is her right.

But these women end up contacting ME -- sort of as a recording secretary. I dig that role as much as I enjoy unclogging toilets. I typically ignore the calls, but I was one tall Ketel in, and I thought it might be fun to "Surprise" Wifey by calling this friend -- she can be funny, and dramatic, though she gave up booze and drugs years ago, which makes her far less fun.

So I called her, and she cheerfully answered, and Wifey realized who it was. We were then treated to about 40 minutes of non stop talking all about her ailments, past activities as an "undiscovered" actress, etc...

I got in a few questions edgewise, asking about her husband and sons, and she told us, but the conversation quickly circled back to how those men relate to HER, and her situation. She repeatedly said she wanted to know all about our lives, but never truly did, but my now working well Ketel made the affair sort of entertaining.

The Uber Eats arrived, and I sent Wifey to fetch it. Luckily, the friend had to take a call but promised to call right back. And then Fate stepped in.

After we finished our wrap and turkey burger, I got a text -- from a woman we know, out knocking on doors for votes for re-election as Pinecrest Commissioner. Shannon and Skip are friends of Ken and Joelle -- they met when Skip repped them over a Chinese drywall case, and we've been out with them.

I asked if they'd like to come in for a cocktail. They were at the end of the night's canvass, and would love to. They did.

They're both Texas born and raised Cubans, and movie star good looking. They have a law practice together, and 3 grown kids. The girls go to UVA and Georgetown, I think, and the son graduated Oregon as a lacrosse player and will be starting FIU Law this Fall.

I poured Shannon a few Aperols and club soda, and Skip was a vodka martini man, like me. We talked of politics -- both staunch Democrats -- and about raising kids, and their son's upcoming legal education. They both went to SMU, where they met.

They stayed a solid hour, and it was delightful. I had my drinking buddies, and the talk was lively and timely -- I don't think any ailments were discussed -- just the future of our kids and country.

Shannon's going to coast to re-election it seems, but she did draw an opponent -- some 35 year old lawyer put up to the race by a MAGA Trump guy who encourages the removal of ANY Democrats -- even in the supposedly non partisan Village elections. 

I told Shannon she was smart to still work for the seat, unlike our former Congresswoman Donna Shalala, who lost a solid seat assuming she was so great and popular she didn't have to campaign. She lost to a Spanish language newswoman far dumber than Shalala, but who did the foot work by meeting constituents and going to Spanish language events. Shalala couldn't be bothered -- showing the hubris that has consequences -- like Ruth Bader Ginsberg staying on SCOTUS too long -- giving us Mary Coney Barrett.

We walked them to their car. The call backs and texts from Wifey's friend went unanswered -- Wifey will decide if she wishes to engage again.

I turned to a favorite post drinking activity -- playing DJ with our Sonos. I was in the mood for Joe Jackson and Elvis Costello last night. When I got up to go to bed around 1130, Wifey , without the Sonos App, said "But who will DJ now?" I left her with another 10 songs in the Sonos bullpen -- after that she could switch to TV.

So it turned out to be a fine Thursday night Happy Hour, and maybe I learned a lesson again: avoid talking to people who suck out your energy rather than replenish it. Life events have way of sucking out energy on their own -- one needn't look for more vacuums. I should have known better...