navigating 21

i wasn't put off by the large flashing sign, this place was fancy. dim lighting, a large aquarium in the lobby, and paddle like fans spinning above us in a lazy way that seemed to say: "you'll get a really good price for our shrimp salad, but we are high class." i went in with my friends, two couples and another girl (my "date") and we were seated by the curt waitress. we began to chitchat, smiling about the paddle-fans and the cheesy artwork of the Colorado Rockies. and then i was doing it: i was ordering my first restaurant alcoholic beverage and showing my ID. a slushy, strawberry margarita was delivered and the first thing i thought was "wow, that is huge." our meals were at least 20 minutes away and i began to tentatively sip, hoping that my empty stomach would stay neutral. and that drink was good. i did my best to drink it steadily throughout the following meal and conversation, but as we left there was still over half the drink left. not a problem. i had to drive.

there was more to the evening though. we drove to a bar. neon palm trees in blue, green and pink flashed brilliantly outside and but all music was concealed inside. we flashed our IDs and entered. people were everywhere. the music was loud, but if you yelled you could talk. they all ordered beers. i watched everybody dancing, the clomping of their cowboy boots silenced by the throbbing music (oh by the way, it was a honkey-tonk bar, complete with a live country band). my one friend seemed transformed. she looked older to me. she was on a level that i didn't relate to. she finally tried to teach me a two-step, which i failed miserably at, and we all laughed our way through a line dance (well, i did anyway, they danced like professionals).

the other single girl said she had to leave and that gave me a chance to leave without seeming like a party-pooper. my face was still flushed from the dancing and my previous drink and i was ready to leave that western music behind. it wasn't even 11 o'clock.

i learned a few things about myself from this fun, first night out on the town: a) i do like to drink. b) it might have been more fun if i knew how to dance. c) i don't really like country music.

also, i don't think i could do that every week. and my idea of fun is not to get drunk. not that any of us were drunk, but enough joking was made that i could tell they had no qualms about getting totally wasted. the girls at least. their male counter-parts had to stay sober enough to drive. that was my problem, even if i had wanted to, i couldn't even get buzzed because i had to drive home alone through a strange part of town, in the dark. but i was fine with that. because i've already decided that i don't need to experience that part of drinking. i've already been in a car accident and i was sober and it was not fun.

so, i've had one night out at a bar, and i'm not ready to say that i have formed solid opinions about all of this. (i know my parents would love it if i renounced alcohol and never left the house again until i'm thirty or married. or at least not living with them)

will i do this again? i had fun, but i feel like that's not my scene. what is? i don't know. i feel safer drinking at home. i like to be able to hear people when we're talking. i don't like being squished between a transvestite and a beefy man with a walrus mustache while country music blasts out my ear drums (or tympanic membrane as i learned in class the other day). all i know i that being 21 comes with these rites of passage, and i intent to experience them. but i'm not saying it has to be at a country western bar ever again.