nights like this.

    It's Friday night. We meet a couple we're friends with at a bar. It's a little dive-y, but perfect at the same time. There's definitely a karaoke scene at this bar. You can tell this is what these singers do every Friday, and they are feeling it tonight. We jump up and sing a few rock ballads. The bar applauds.

                                

    Between stories and laughs a few rounds of drinks pass through our table. An IPA. Ginger whiskey. Old Fashioned. Vodka soda. As we squeeze between people at the bar to close our tabs, we have a happy buzz, and we slow dance to the karaoke song just for a moment. 

    We walk down the street in the cool air, the karaoke regulars smoking outside wish us a good night. Somewhere in our wanderings we decide to go to a viewpoint of the river. The stars are shining. We run through the sprinklers in our path, we pass construction workers repairing roads by moonlight. When we make it to the viewpoint we linger and look at what we can of the dark river, buzzing and rattling come from the surrounding mill.

    As we walk back, we decide we want some chicken nuggets. The nearest fast food is closed so we drive a couple miles to the next town, because the 'want' has quickly turned into a 'need'. The dining room is closed so we park and eat our fourth meal together in the car. We drive our friends back to their car parked in front of the bar, and we see the patrons filtering out. It's well past midnight. Twinkling lights are shining in the trees. The night is that temperature where you almost want a jacket, but not quite.

    Most nights I take my vitamin and read in bed and am asleep by 9:15. But now, it is Friday night, and I am young, and alive, and free.