Remember O Most Gracious Virgin Mary

Yes, serious business folks.  NO ONE has the slightest idea of how great a night I had last night.  I’ll probably be riding on the high from last night for months.  I’ll give a detailed summary, and then YOU tell me you wouldnt be writing about it:

SO.  A CAUSE de mon anniversaire…(Because of my Birthday, my 21st, mind you)  My Aunt and Uncle, Carla and Brian wanted to take me out to dinner last night.  So a late celebration, actually.  My bday was the 5th.  Eww, dinner with aunt and uncle, you say.  No indeed.  These guys are the best.  Carla is my dad’s youngest sister, so she’s not old, really.  Carla emailed me saying, “let’s go to Jeff Ruby’s at Newport on The Levee” 
  And I’m like, okay.  I didnt know what Jeff Ruby’s was.  But if you know Carla and Brian, you know that these guys know how to have a good time.  yes indeed.

And as a matter of fact, the night of my birthday, 2 weeks ago, I went to Newport with my friend Megan and her bf to eat at an Irish pub.  We passed this well-known-to-people-my-age restaurant called Tropicana.  I read a small sign above it which said: “Jeff Ruby’s:  TROPICANA”

So we get there and Brian orders me a drink that now I know I can never appreciate anything less.  Of course it was a margarita.  HOWEVER, It was a Gold margarita, with grand marnier, tres generales ordered Up.  So no slushy, no watery ice.  Salt.  Crazy smooth.  Heaven.  $15.
dang. 

I’m not even going to go into dinner, but lets just say, I ate the best steak I’ve ever had in my life.  During the course, I ordered a Manhattan!!!  Now, this drink was too strong for me…i liked it, yes, but i think it’s something I know I will most likely end up drinking as a favorite during later times. 
So, another Margarita.  heaven.
A cake! 
So dinner was REALLLLY glorious.  A really good time.  Funny stories.  And Carla and Brian brought me back and I think they were slightly impressed with my apartment.  We sat and talked for a while, and then they left. 

I looked at the time and it was only 10:30!!!!!!!!!!!
WHAT!?  Oh hell, I’m not done with this night!
SO.  I got up the courage, a grace de my Margaritas, and called a gentleman I met on my birthday, who has since then, taken me out to dinner, taken me to a party, and watched a movie with me… and treated me like a princess.  For serious. 
So, I called, got scared, and hung up.  He called back, and was like, “Hey!  We’re going downtown to McFadden’s!  We’re getting a taxi.  We’ll pick you up in a half hour.”

GOLDEN.

SO.  I go. 
I got picked up and jamed into a taxi with a driver who we called Papa, but looked and talked like Bob Marley. 
We get there and have to stand outside and feeze waiting in a huge line of already drunk young people…

There was this crazy homeless black guy who was the most honest brother I’ve ever seen. 
-”Hey, brotha, I’m not gonna lie, I need money so a brotha can buy a beeeer!” 
-”HEY! WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME LIKE I’M SOME KIND OF A BLACK GUY!?”
“Oh, I wasnt even looking at you..”
“GOOD, THEN GIVE ME A DOLLA, YOU SON’B!!”
-”WHAT, WHAT YOU WANT ME TA DO!?  WHITE POWA!  IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT!?  WHITE POWA ,WHITE POWA!!”
Needless to say, this guy got his beer money. 

AAAaaanyway, one of The Gentleman’s friends knew someone who was working and they came and got us out of line, and let us in through the back. 
“Hey, people KNOW us.”  The Gentleman said.

More drinks for Carolyn!  A Long Island, and of course, for Jack, a Rum and Coke.  This bar/dance club was (really crowded) the coolest because not only did they play the pop/hip hop music, but every few songs the dj would throw in an oldie.  So there was a lot of singing along. “WHY DO YOU BUILD ME UP, BUTTERCUP BABY JUST TO LET ME DOWN” 
It was just a dang good time. I danced.  I danced with the Gentleman. We sang, loud, proud, and obnoxiously. And there were sparks.

Before we arrived at McFadden’s The Gentleman was talking to me and his friends about the song Sweet Caroline.  And I was saying I’d never heard of it, but ppl were always bringing it up when saying my name. 

AS chance would have it, the second to last song played, The Gentleman and his friends were suddenly very excited and started singing and dancing around me.  I was thinking, man, these guys are fabulously crazy, when all of the sudden, they broke out into chorus “SWEEET CAROLINE”
And it was my song!  Though, The Gentleman adjusted it to ‘Sweet Carolyn’. 

While waiting for the Cab, the fellows entertained myself and Erin, Megan’s twin sister, with their renditions of GOULET! 

Cab ride home, I fell out of the cab and flew up to my apartment on silver wings. 
It was like two awesome nights in one.  I havent had a night like that….ever?  yeah, ever. 
Thank you. 

P.S. John West IS AWESOME.  You should check him out, if you haven’t yet:  http://www.johnpeterwest.com/