"Swimming suit?"
"Check."
"I.D.?"
"Check."
"Phone charger?"
"Oh crap..."
"It's OK we have the same kind and I brought mine."
And on and on... it wasn't until the next morning when I went to get dressed that I realized I had completely forgotten my outfit for the day. I was so crafty to have hung it on the back of my door so I "wouldn't forget". Which instead I overlooked. What backwards logic. I went into my mom's room to tell her of my birthday dress dilemma and she suggested we head up to Topeka to get a new one. Luckily, I found the exact same dress and just bought that. (I'll take back the un-worn one later). But since we already up in Topeka, we decided to eat my 2nd favorite cheese dip at Casa. And that is where I consumed my first alcoholic beverage as a 21-year-old American. Lime daiquiri. Yum. And when I showed the waitress my ID, (which btw, she didn't even ask for, I just volunteered it willingly) she noticed it was my birthday and brought me fried ice cream on the house. Then sang to me. Which is always slightly awkward. But appreciated.
When Nard showed up after his 6 hour driving trip that actually took 7 and a half hours, we headed up to KC. Checking in to the hotel was relatively painless though we kept pointing out things that were wrong with the place so I was worried that my friends weren't going to have fun. {Side note: the hotel didn't give us a shower curtain and even after we complained, we never got one.} But they kept reassuring me that it was just fine so we got in the car and headed for the Power and Light district (aka the only cool place to party in Kansas City.)
Now as I have stated before, I do not like to drive. I also do not like to be in cars when I'm not driving. This is especially true when the car is in a city headed in an unknown direction. A lot of people complain about GPS systems because they aren't specific enough,
"Turn right here."
"What? There isn't a road here!... I guess it means a little further down... I'll just go straight and then-"
"Re-routing."
"NO! Same direction!"
"Make a legal U turn when possible."
"Ok fine, making U turn... which means I'll be turning left about....there. I would guess."
"Turn right here."
"That doesn't make any sense! Why are you taking me on a completely new route? I made a U turn like you said!"
"You're fucking screwed."
"If I can just get to the same direction I was going then maybe-"
"Ha. Ha. Good luck, dumbass. Learn to read a map next time."
But I have complete faith in the these devices. So my mom and Nard both had on their GPS which is located in their phone, which have the same voice, which is CONFUSING. I don't even know why I sat in front. Their phones knew there was construction, but we didn't and almost ran into road blocks. Then when we finally got to the right area, we drove around for ten minutes looking for a parking garage. While we sat a stoplight, I tried to signal to the taxi driver who was reading her book to roll down her window to ask for directions because if she can enjoy a nice novel behind the wheel at 7 PM on a Friday, she probably knows what she's doing. But the whole car said to stop trying to get her attention so I eventually just put my hand over my face and focused on even breathing. {And by the way, the taxi driver ended up cutting us off which probably wouldn't have happened if I had been allowed to get chummy with her.} Even after we had parked and started walking toward the restaurant, I was still seething but trying not to bite any one's head off.
Got to the grill. Sat down. The waiter looked at me first and asked what I would like to drink. Without hesitation, but with great exasperation, I said, "Rum and coke." He didn't even card me and even though I look like I'm sixteen, I took it as a compliment rather than accepting his apathy.
The rest of the night was filled with every kind of music imaginable. If you haven't been to Howl at the Moon in Kansas City, then go do it. Right now. Go. It was incredible. Seven or so musicians rotated on multiple instruments to bring the audience a continuous concert by our own request. They played everything from "Piano Man" by Billy Joel, "Bottoms Up" by Trey Songz ft. Nicki Minaj (and yes, a girl did rap her part- flawlessly I may add), or even that one song that gives a big "hell yea" to all the redneck girls... "HELL YEA!"
I think all of my guests had a good time. My mom was hit on by a lesbian and a twenty-something year old man. She turned both of them down. But at least she is aware that she has options. BoyCrazy stole a pianist cowboy hat and after he told her than she owed him a blow job for it, she just said, "In your dreams," and walked off stage. Then later, another bartender kept bringing her free drinks. That's my BoyCrazy. :) I spent the night drooling over one specific pianist that when introduced to, put me in a drunken state of confusion.
"Devin??" I asked to be sure if I heard him correctly.
"No. With a K!" he answered.
The conversation was awkward and even though I still didn't understand it, I just nodded and smiled for the picture. All the while I was thinking, "Devin with a K? Is his name DeKin? What a weird name." It wasn't until he left the table that Mascot pointed out his name was "KEVIN". I'm an idiot. Or maybe just drunk. Or maybe a little bit of both.
I'm not sure if this is a KC thing or what, but every trip to the bathroom was very interesting. A woman would turn on the water for me, hand me paper towels, and then open the door so I could walk out. Very strange. But I didn't have any cash to tip her. There was also a number of assorted hair products and lotions but I never used them because I am not that hard up for toiletries when I go to bars. Nard said there was a man in his bathroom doing the same thing but also tried to figure out if Nard was gay because, "That would be weird, man!" Nard eventually tipped him because he felt bad and because he makes a lot of money. Has anyone else had this kind of service at a bar before?
None of us were too hungover to enjoy the next day at my aunt and uncle's quarry. I was so lucky to be surrounded by my closest friends and family for a good way to start the summer. We swam (while drinking since I'm old enough now hehe), used the paddle boat, went down the water slide, hung out with horses, and just enjoyed the general merriment of the outdoors. My family made wonderful fried fish (a must-have at least once a summer), potato salad that could be a food group all its own and an endless supply of frozen strawberry daiquiris. Thanks dad!
My birthday weekend was an absolute success. I want to thank every single person who was there because it truly meant the world to me. I don't remember a time that I have ever felt so special and loved. I only hope that one day, I can help make you feel the same.
Song of the day- "In da club" by 50 Cent
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7TTTRMCsJY
{They made the birthday girls/boys go up on stage while they did this song at the bar}
"Go Shawty, it's your birthday. We gonna party like it's your birthday. We gonna sip Bacardi like it's your birthday. You know that we don't give a fuck cuz that's your birthday!"
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