22

the last metro on saturday nights is always interesting. sometimes because you get puked on, sometimes because the drunks are yelling at each other, sometimes because people are having pull-up competitions on the metro bars, and sometimes just because 22 year olds are.. well... 22 and drunk.

on the metro home from an impromtu dance session with dcprincess at sign of the whale on saturday night, i pulled out my current book (shadow of the wind, by carlos ruiz zafon, recommended by both jess and wanderlusting!) and nestled down in my seat to read. a stop later, the bench behind me was noisily taken by a young couple, while their friend slipped in next to me. they had clearly just had a fun night out, and were good-naturedly drunk.

i tuned them out almost immediately and went back to my book. that arrangement continued for about 10 stops, until the guy next to me apparently got bored, leaned into me and asked, completely deadpan:

"so... is that a book you're reading there?"

i looked at him incredulously, then finally answered "no," just because. i mean, what else do you say to a drunk 22 year old asking if the book you're reading is a book?

the girl behind him positively CROWED with laughter at this response, chucking me on the shoulder and declaring "girrrrrrl!! good answer!!" while dissolving into hysterics. my seatmate continued trying to engage me in conversation, but i was more interested in reading, so he eventually gave up and i was left to my book once again.

...until the girl behind me peered over my shoulder and demanded, "you don't believe the first line in chapter 25, do you?!"

me: ....i'm sorry?
girl: the first line in chapter 25! you can't really believe that!!
me: ...uh..? what do you mean, believe it...?
girl: the first line! it's ridiculous! you can't tell me you actually BELIEVE it!
me: um... this is a work of fiction.

(the line, by the way? "We went into Father Fernando's office, where the priest summoned up his memories, adopting the tone of a sermon.")

i've learned over the past few years that my increasingly angry hangovers are just reeealllly not worth getting too drunk any more (uh, except by accident *coughpassingoutonlilu'scouchcough*) and i'm good with that. but as silly as these kids were, it did make me a bit nostalgic for my own (dumb and drunken) early 20s. not enough to regret that i'm older and not quite as stupid, but still. i tend to dismiss that time in my life a bit, since i WAS awfully young, and stupid, and usually drunk. but you know? it was also pretty fun.

....er, not that i need to replay those years though. i mean, i didn't earn the nickname "the kissing bandit" by NOT drunkenly making out with, uh, anyone available. i like to think my current potential kissing buddies appreciate the results, though. i'm a damn good kisser.