Awesome . Thanks Shawn.

I went out for a late-night drink with Ben last night. At the place we went to ("The Winchester"!?) there happened to be a table of drunken teenage couples (four kids in all) next to us. They were being dumb, and Ben and I were quietly mocking them. At one point, the drunker guy stood up and lifted up his shirt to show off his abs. I started laughing, and then told Ben, in French, what was going on. I don't normally use French as a 'secret' language, because I assume that everyone around me is bilingual, but it was fun to do at the time.

Over the course of the evening, we mocked the kids with our waitstaff, and the waitress who had intially served both of our tables grumbled something about how they'd only tipped her $0.75. Now, these kids had between them, a pitcher of beer, a pop, and a martini -- and martinis at this place are $6 or $8.

We finished our food and drinks, and got up to go. The kids had been up and down and wandering around and talking to people they knew on the sidewalk (since we were out on the patio, and there's a pedestrian walkway right beside us), and we figured they were wrapping up for the night. As we're leaving, drunken ab boy gets up into my face and lifts up his shirt again. I very calmly told him, "No thanks, I saw the show before, and I've seen better." He and his friends started getting all "ooh" about that, and someone said something about the "seen better" comment, and I said, "Yes, frequently," and off we went to drop in on Markuk's going away party.

If only the story ended here.

Ben and I decide to hop on a transitway bus, because the others that will get us home aren't likely running anymore (this is right around 1 a.m. -- we got started late). So we walk through the mall and out onto the bridge... when I remember the thought I'd had at our previous location: because it's now 1 (or close to), all the transitway buses are running where we were originally standing. So we either walk down to the university, walk up a ways to where the routes once again converge, or walk back to where we started.

I'm whiny (okay, I wasn't actually being whiny) and was wearing not-great shoes, so we ended up heading towards the university -- in time to see the one bus that will suit Ben pass by, towards the next stop (which was our original location). I mention that another bus that will work for him should be by any moment (same route, just different end points). We see a bus at the lights, and it's actually the same route as the one that just passed by. When we board, the bus driver says he's late, so he's not going to be following the usual route for the bus (I'm thinking he thought we might have wanted the bars or something), and we tell we're fine with that, and we're glad not to be riding with the drunks (usually more of an issue on the 1:30/2:00/2:30 routes, as the bars empty).

The bus picks up some people at the mall who hadn't gotten the memo about the late-hour route changes (something that's been in effect for a few years), and we realize that Drunky McAberson and his loud-mouthed girlfriend (she was the louder of the two) was on the bus with us. Fortunately, they didn't see us.

There also happens to be a girl on the bus wearing a neat hat. Ben tries to compliment her on it, but she doesn't see his thumbs-up. My stop approaches and Ben and I play a quick games of "things I won't be putting in a smoothie when I get home," and I get off the bus with the girl.

I compliment her hat, we agree that we prefer to (illegally) cross the bridge instead of taking the underpath (yes, that was deliberate), which is surrounded by blackness at night, and we end up chatting until we have to head in different directions for residences. I tell her about our drunken friends -- she asked if they were the ones making out on the bus. I say most likely.

I also called Ben to tell him I'd passed along his compliment... and I said I'd given her his name and phone number. She was cute! :)

Anyhow, time to grab some breakfast, toss the kitties outside, and hit the books. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to help out on the move, 'cause I have some serious studying to do. *sigh* I hate my procrastinating self... although I am almost done two different books. (Thena just put her paws on the keyboard and managed to hit my caps-lock key. Kitty wants to learn to type!)