Happy Hour

Yesterday after work, a bunch of us got together at a local bar for Happy Hour. They had live music and the place was packed. I got there about 6:30. I stayed about 2 hours and then Scott and I headed over to a place closer to home called Kenny's. It's the place I have been going to most of the time when I go out now. My first long night there was after my company Christmas party.

Remember my 10 hours of drinking story? Well, last night was pretty much of a repeat, except I only drank for 7 1/2 hours and stayed away from the Southern Comfort shots this time, but did have a few shots of this blue stuff. Not really sure what it was, but tasty none the less.

When we got to Kenny's I was hungry, so Kenny made me a salad, stuffed shrimp scampi and pasta with white clam sauce. Just a little salad I asked, but he didn't keep his promise. I already finished the salad when I took this picture, but trust me it filled a large dinner plate.

I have to say, that was the best shrimp scampi I have ever eaten and I've eaten a lot of shrimp scampi. He was going to give me the recipe but I forgot to get it from him.

Scott's wife and her sister showed up around 9:30 but only stayed about a 1/2 hour because since Scott can't drink right now, he wanted to leave so they all left, but I stayed. You didn't expect me to go home, did you? Why go home? It was Friday night in a place that treats me like family, great food and a live band at 10:30.

Now this band was great, not like the one I heard there about two weeks ago. This band played music from the 60's, 70's and 80's and were terrific and played some of my all time favorites. Not being exactly shy, I introduced myself to the band during their breaks and they introduced me to most of their friends that came to hear them.

I was really enjoying myself talking to everyone. Then to top it all off, one of the women they knew went up to sing, "You May Be Right" by Billy Joel. I walked over to the dance floor to get a better view. I started singing along and "moving to the beat" so to speak and as soon as I did, she spotted me and pulled me out on the dance floor up in front of the band. I am not exactly what you would call shy, so out on the dance floor I went. It was empty so we had it all to ourselves.

I wish you all could have seen me, I really got into it. We were dancing and singing the song together. I stayed as far away from the microphone as I could, because I don't sing very well, but sing I did and danced like a dancing fool.

She was spinning around like this and I have no idea how she kept from getting her feet caught in the microphone cord. Yes, we really got into it.

When the song ended, she gave me a big hug and when I turned around to go back to the bar, I saw almost everyone had gotten up and had gathered around the dance floor to watch and were applauding. I'm sure most of it was for her, but I was thinking maybe a little of it was for me, the "Singing and Dancing Fool" that was having a ball.

The band stopped about 2AM, so I asked Billy the bartender how much I owed him. "Give me $25", he said. Obviously not enough, so I negotiated him up to $40, plus the $20 I'd given him earlier for the blue stuff shots I shared with a young couple I'd met.

Damn, it felt good to dance again. Tonight I'm hoping to get to dance some more. I'm going to a 50th birthday party for someone Arlene works with. It's at a hall and they're having music so let's see how it goes.