A tale of two parties

Tonight, a bunch of work friends decided — right as we were all about to leave for the day — that they were going to go out for dinner and drinks.

It was totally spur-of-the-moment, and for them, it was the perfect plan, because …

They all live downtown.
I mean right downtown. As in walking distance or an $8 cab ride from the bar.
All of their spouses were meeting them there.
It was a gorgeous evening.
They all like to drink.

They wanted me to go with them. But today is my nephew’s birthday, and I was invited to the family dinner/cake/presents deal-i-o. Darling Husband is working a night shift, but that never stops me from hanging with his fam.

I told my colleagues about my plans, and everyone told me to blow off the family party. My boss jokingly said he was ordering me to go, as a work function.

I have caved in situations like this in the past, because I don’t want to miss any team-building rah-rah-ness and feel left out when they talk about it on Monday.

But this time, I hesitated like crazy, because going with them would mean …

I would either have to take the bus late (and alone) or pay for a $35 cab ride back to my condo in the ‘burbs.
I would spend $20-$25 on food, Diet Coke, tip, etc.
Even though I can handle being the only “single” person in a group of couples, it does kind of suck.
I would have to do the whole “No-I-don’t-want-a-drink” dance, which would lead to preggo speculation.
I hate spur-of-the-moment decisions. Unless it is about buying new craft magnets or something.

While they were standing around discussing the venue, I grabbed my coat and bag, and explained that I really felt I should go to my nephew’s party. Everyone groaned and I felt soooo lame. I played it off like I felt like I had to go, had already promised, blah blah blah.

But truthfully? I had already told Darling Husband’s fam that I probably couldn’t make the party, because I thought I’d be stuck at work until late. So I could have easily went out with my work friends, and no one would have known.

I wanted to go to the party. I wanted to have dinner with my huge, crazy family-in-law, and eat birthday cake and give my nephew his present in person. I wanted to sit around the living room with them and laugh and talk.

I never could have admitted to my work friends that I chose to go. They all seem to detest their own family events, and are surprised that I spend so much time with Darling Husband’s family.

No, wait — scratch that.

My family.

I really do think of them as my family.

And I know I made the right choice.

2 Comments on “A tale of two parties”

Musings of the Mrs.
April 25, 2009

You should not feel lame. This is practice for when you have kids of your own. Its all part of the bargain of being a grown up…Not lame, just really doing just what you want to do. I love that.

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Lacey
April 25, 2009

Thanks, Musings of the Mrs! 🙂

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