2 February 2024.

Lately, most Sundays after work, I’ve been meeting my coworkers at a neighborhood bar called Mother’s Ruin. It’s a ritual that began before I was hired but I’ve grown fond of it and now lean on it to get me through the week. 

It’s nice to get to know everyone outside the chaos of the restaurant. I’ve noticed, though, that since I no longer drink, I find it hard to be comfortable in the loud, noisiness of the bar atmosphere in the way I once did. It continues to take me time to figure out how to enjoy my time surrounded by all the others imbibing and loosening up.

So last night, I decided to try something new. Rather than trying to assert myself into a drunken conversation where I was uninvited, I gathered a group of about 6 or 7 people with the intent to ask a simple question. 

Let’s go around the group and tell everyone what we assumed about one another before getting to know each other, I said. 

The conversation lasted for at least an hour. 

I can do that, soberly, all night long.