An Extended Present

Lingering hugs
Urgent compliments
Knowing smiles
A lot of hand holding
More hugging
Touching
Kisses

This isn't a YA novel folks.
This is closing night and the cast party. And the after party.

Two girls (not in the cast) share a serious discussion.
"22? Dang. I thought I was going to throw up when I turned 21."
"I know, seriously. Uggh. I just don't FEEL 22 yet!"
I stand a foot away and stare unabashedly at these strange creatures.
I realize the conversation isn't going to get more interesting.
Me: "I'm gonna slide my 35 year old self over to another part of this party."
I take great care to roll my eyes as I pass.

I discover a giant love sack. I lay down next to the other woman in her mid 30s and we laugh and cuddle and sigh and enjoy an animated moment together. We pull down a handsome man between us and enjoy making him blush.

The other two girls take pictures of themselves on their cell phones and post the pics to Facebook.

It's late on a Sunday night. The neighbors are asleep. We have to keep the noise down.

So of course we have to have firey hula hooping.
That's right.
Hula hooping with hoops that are on fire.

The crowd gathers quietly in the driveway to watch.
Instead of screaming, we hug and smile.
The starry night makes everything calm and other worldly.
And the firey hula hooping is frankly just trippy.

One of the guys doesn't get the memo about being quiet.

He stands at the forefront whooping and hollering.
He yells at the rest of us, "She's on fire people!! Give the girl some props!"

I look at the silent crowd and the enthusiastic loner.

I begin to giggle uncontrollably at the whole picture.

I eat a marshmallow.

I kiss a girl.

I kiss a boy.

I am neither drunk nor high. I was the designated driver.

I was blissful. I was devoted to the present and the present was hilarious and divine.

I share in a conversation about Europe with the American girl and her Spanish lover.
I share in a conversation about creating a peeps diorama with an important designer and tell him my love for all things marshmallow and crocheting. But not together.

Four of us pour ourselves into my little car.

I fall into bed and a moment later I wake up.

Still smiling.

I get to work and find jelly beans waiting for me.

It just goes on and on. This life thing.

It's like a never ending present.

Good morning friends.