success, sort of...

So, my classmate, L, and I decided to venture out beyond the university bounds (hopefully) to a new bar. New to us, that is. It was harder to figure out where to go than I would have hoped... but we did a series of internet searches and came up with what seemed the most promising place. With the reviews read and outfits picked, we headed out, hoping not to run into anyone we knew.

Well, it turns out Albuquerque is either too small to not run into someone you know -- or we need to go much farther afield. As we headed to the bar, someone (Scottie) tapped L. on the shoulder and before you knew it we were in a group of five -- and I had run into three folks from the department (though not our subfield). Turns out this guy had met L. at the cafe where she is a barista. He had overheard a conversation she was having with Marcos, a regular, in Spanish. So, he didn't really know her just had sort of met her before.

He bought us a drink and was deep into telling us how great it is to make new friends when you've only been in town for ten days and don't know anyone -- when up walk three people who he was there to meet. Uh huh. I tabled my suspicions because they seemed like a harmless bunch.

Jesse, Michael and Andrea (I don't know them, so I don't need to hide their identities ... yet), are all residents at the university hospital. Don't know how Scottie (not sure how he spells his name, but I am going with this one) knows the docs but he was obviously there to see the woman - who was none too pleased to see him talking to two other women when she got there -- then, again, she did bring two chaperons. Ah... the joys of dating. For her, that is, not me.

In any case, we found a table and started talking and laughing and getting dripped on either by the water leaking through the sky lights (my guess) or the drip irrigation system for the plants (their explanation). Eventually we were at the pool tables and it was last call and L and I decided that no Saturday night would be complete without tequila shots.

Um... several hours and a few adventures later, I was getting L off the floor of the bathroom at the docs' apartment and taking her home... I was the least drunk so I drove L's car. It was an excellent night all in all -- I didn't really think I could stay out until 4am anymore.