Rusty gets oiled

First of all, the boyfriend comes with me to the party. This was unexpected and delightful. Fucken finally, some participation. He even enjoyed himself so I can cry "bullshit" the next time he uses some lame "I don't like people" excuse to get out of a social occasion. I think he especially enjoyed asking the cab driver to pull over to let me hurl out the door after our 5am departure. As long as you make it outta the party before you puke, it's all good.

We arrive at the party and almost immediately get handed a bubbler by this couple I've met many times but don't really know. They were regular customers at the video store where I worked. I always thought they were the shit, based on the little I knew about them. Plus she would always wear jewelry around her head like the Childlike Empress in "The Neverending Story." I love shit like that.

I crack a beer, take the bubbler, chat a bit then have a sit down. I realize I haven't smoked in two weeks when it hits me that I also haven't properly socialized in more than 6 months. And then it hits me. People mill about around me, I exist on the edge of conversation. The couple from the store sit next to me as my boyfriend and I discuss the awesomeness that is Stan Lee and his soapbox. I'm not sure they're on the page with the topic. The boyfriend impersonates the exuberant Stan Lee, they laugh.

I'm caught in a daydream. I worry that I'll never be able to relate to anyone ever again. I'm too far gone into my social retardation. I sit back. The girl half of 'the couple that are the shit' turns to me and says "I'm kind of lacking in social skills since I never go anywhere. You can probably tell, eh?" HA! Awesome. That is precisely what is going through my mind at that exact moment. I didn't tell her that she channeled my thoughts but did tell her I wouldn't notice because I too am socially rusty. My freak out ended there. Nice.

After that we existed in connection with one another while her awesome boyfriend told me they would always try to get my till at the video store because they thought I was nice. See, I excel at being pleasant. Therefore I am awesome. And they are awesome. The rest of the night she would occasionally react to things I said or did. She would turn to her boyfriend and go "see" because I kept doing/saying things she did/said/agreed with. Too bad we're both too socially inept to know how to start a friendship without seeming too forward. Well, at least I am.

The rest of the party was awesome with me being my old party self. Even right down to me drinking whatever leftover shitty beer I could find in the fridge, hence the hurling. The rad couple left early for work purposes but I continued to shoot the shit and philosophize with some old co-workers, customers and entertaining new cohorts. I had a bit of a rough start but I only spent about a half hour being a gimp. After that I was socially capable until I sat in the comfy chair. Good times. And the boyfriend and I are fairly certain we know who to look for if we're interested in being swingers. (Not THE rad couple but another rad couple). Possibilities are fun.