Mojito Mama

So, last night I went to a bar alone. I don't remember if I've ever done it before, but I did it last night. It may not be a big deal for some of you, but it was a little bit of a deal for me. Anyway, there's a place I know of that has mojito happy hour until 10:00 pm. I tried to get a friend to go but she couldn't go, and I desperately wanted a mojito, so I went. It's an upstairs bar to a restaurant, so not a 'normal' bar.

During the first mojito I felt a little awkward. I called a friend I hadn't talked to in a while, and left a message saying 'this is a little more difficult than I thought it would be'. I ordered a side dish, and kept drinking, and watched some surfing and skateboard thing on the tv in the distance.

My side dish arrived and I started on my second mojito. People had been arriving in dribs and drabs, and there was another lone woman a few seats down, and a couple sat down to the right of me. Of course, the more alcohol you drink, the easier things get (except for driving and walking). And there were some friendly people there. First a woman who stood at the bar to get drinks asked me how my mofongo was, which seems like such a simple thing but it was nice to have someone talk to me. Then the woman of the couple next to me starting talking to me. Tells me how she just got in from Spain and visiting him and they met when they were 5 and 8...

You here alone? she asked. I said yep, and she bonded with me then. Oh, I do that too. Movies too. Her date got up to go to the bathroom and she came clean. I'm such a liar. I'm not from Spain, I'm Puerto Rican, etc. She's a flight attendant and is based in Philly but in town, and they had met through the internet many years ago. She had a lot of energy, was drunk, and was hilarious - making jokes, flirting with her date, suggesting a threesome (semi-embarassing her date, but of course he's used to her), telling me about meeting Mr. Big in NYC (and pulled out her camera to show the picture of her with him). Took my photo.

At one point she sticks out her hand with the middle finger extended (downward, not at me) and says, meet my best friend. She had a ring on her finger so I was confused for a moment, and then I got it and laughed hysterically but also apparently turned beet red. They loved it. I was more embarrassed that it took me so long to get it. I told her I didn't get it at first since we use things with batteries here in the US. They then bought me a mojito, but made me try a strawberry one. And I made everyone try it, and the woman behind me who had asked me about my mofongo felt more than comfortable taking a straw and trying some too.

10:15 came and the bar closed down. I said goodnight to my new friends and went back to the 'hood.