But none as much as my want to be with you

So last night turned out phenomenally.

berrydip and Megan found their way home from Bodies and while I dealt with rehearsal (which was really not much to write home about; crazy director is back on her depressed stage, it would seem) they made their way to Sarasota to see a college friend. Along with Jenn and her boyfriend, Chris, they started over to the L.A. Hangout where I was waiting. While wandering through the bar, talking to my friends and some other regulars, I wandered outside where I saw a gentleman my age lounging with a few others out on the patio. This particular gentleman was wearing the exact same hat as I happen to be wearing in this LJ icon.

"What year did you graduate?" (I've never been much for proper introductions.)
"1999, why?"
"Shit, man, I graduated '99 too. What major?"
"Bio."
"Ahh, I was journalism."

A girl across the table said, "My roommate was a journalism major, did you know Lisa Zamborsky?" Ahh, yes, the infamous Lisa Colbert nee Zamborsky. One of my first friends in the broadcast news circuit over at good ol' WOUB, where I cut my teeth on the hard-breaking news of the tristate area. Indeed, I knew Lisa, and was with her the night I was arrested, of all things.

Turns out girl-across-the-table was Ohio Hat Guy's girlfriend, and they, with the other people at the table, were all doctoral students in Biology at USF. So I tried some name-dropping of my own, and of course they knew my old friend Shannon, who was the first person I met after moving here, and the girl through whom I met Dave, tinafizz, and all my other friends with whom I roll the streets of the TPA night after night. So we regaled ourselves with Shannon stories and I calmly observed the impending total collision of pretty much every aspect of my life, right there on the patio of the L.A. Hangout.

My crew arrived for their first taste of the Hangout and I bid my farewells to my fellow Bobcats. We went inside, where my buddy Alex insisted on picking up the tab for our first round, provided with the usual expertise by Miss Leslie. We made our way over to the tables where the other eight members of my Tampa bloc sat, frustrated with my tardy arrival to Abused News. We had a #1 national ranking to defend, after all.

While doing our introductions and while I bounced from table to table frantically emulating an addict of Colombia's two cash crops, Leslie arrived and began setting up a massive pour that culminated in near-perfection, given the poor lighting conditions of that corner of the Hangout. My friends adored her immediately. And, yeah, we took #1 again.

Another round of shots arrived, Les popped in and out to visit, and the girls got a few more drinks, returning amazed and impressed with their first glimpse of the world of flair bartending. I'm hoping the experience was a good one for Jenn, and she comes out there more often, because I really do love hanging out with her... she just doesn't come out that much. For once, I like one of her boyfriends, and they're fun people.

We left quickly and unceremoniously as Megan was pretty drunk and it marked my earliest exit from the Hangout in months. And I've skimmed over the best parts of the evening, but, really, this post was intended to really pronounce how fabulous Les was last night in taking care of my friends and I. And, yeah, I know you read this, so if you get here before I can tell you in person, thanks for everything. You're about my favorite person alive right now, and I think the world of you.

oh, also, our water problem here in the house is fixed. after three months of misery, i can finally take a shower without worrying the water will mysteriously stop halfway through shaving.