The Reunion, Part Deux

I, and the women I'd found myself with at the bar, made our way to a table.  Thankfully, the others obviously had kept in touch so the chat was free-flowing and easy and I only had to interject once in a while.

The pub was like an inferno, I know it was August but it was seriously, furiously hot with no air con and no windows that opened.  I did offer to put a chair through one of the windows but opted to get one of the women a pint glass of iced water instead so that she could cool from the inside, out.

People started to arrive and we had a huge vantage point from where we sat.  "Is he one of ours?"  I had no clue.  Adult men continued to arrive, and I didn't recognise any of them.  Women started to arrive; "Who's that?"  Even with names, I struggled.  I know my memory is bad but it's clearly worse than I thought.

A man arrives and approaches our table.  "Is he one of ours?"  Turns out, he's the DJ.  Us "ladies", have to move as this is where he wants to set up.  We move to another table and make ourselves comfortable, it's hotter down here off the balcony, the other women grab beer mats and menus and begin to fan themselves.  I resit but boy is it hot and I can feel the sweat begin to tickle my top lip and trickle down my cleavage.  My new friends continue to waft themselves and even waft me at times, we must have looked like a group meeting of the menopausily challenged.

It wasn't the menopause that challenged me but my memory, and I wasn't the only one apparently.  "I know you but can't remember your name."  I give him my name.  "Do you know me?"  There is no polite way to say, "not a clue", so instead I opt for the diplomatic, "you look familiar but I can't quite..." He fills in the blanks for me but still... not a clue.

It was the most fun I've had for ages.  Even though I really didn't know most people, those that I spoke to, we had a connection, and they seemed like nice people, there was a comfortable familiarity that is difficult to describe.  There was a lot of laughter and a little dancing.

I headed to the bar to get a large glass of iced water for me, (I'm driving,) and a drink for one of my friends who is having a night out, away from real, serious life left that she has left at home for the night.

As the waitress brings me my iced water and the drink I've ordered for a lovely lady, a man arrives and stands next to me, facing me, very close to me.