Make It Count

A wave of sound assaulted Ernie as he stepped through the front door.  People were huddled in makeshift circles, shouting to each other so that they could be heard over the background music and other guests.  Ernie sidled into the crowded room, turning and contorting his body left and right to avoid bumping into the obtuse attendees.

Another Friday night, another house party.  It seemed the same every weekend.  But he was going to make this weekend count. 

He made a slow circuit, hampered by bodies and furniture.  His eyes scanned the room, looking for her, looking for Kristy.  When he found her, Ernie was both elated and frustrated.  She was always at these parties - that’s why Ernie went - but she was always encircled by roommates and tools.  She had a type, that was for certain.  But he was going to make this weekend count.

He began the long journey towards her.  Acquaintances slowed his progress, impeding his way like hurdles and stopping him for “pleasantries”.  They were hardly pleasant now.  He wasn’t “up to anything these days”.  Things had not changed so much since last Friday when they had the same conversation.   Finally free from the entanglements of acquaintance amity, Ernie found himself outside the circle, her circle, with no one making room for him.   But, he was going to make this weekend count.

He inched behind Kristy and tapped her on the shoulder.  She turned and when she saw Ernie, she smiled.  “Hey, Ernie!  What are you up to these days?” 

“Oh you know.  Same old, same old.”  The din of the party meant that Ernie had to shout.  There was no smooth way of doing this, but he was going to make this weekend count.  “Hey, Kristy, I was wondering, if you’re not busy next Friday, if you’d like to go out to dinner with me?”

“No.”

Epilogue

She didn’t actually say that word.  She had a long excuse about a roommate’s birthday and friend coming in from out of town.  But she didn’t offer to reschedule and the effect was the same.  They weren’t going on a date.  He reflected on his evening as he stood in the check out line at the grocery store.  He was purchasing a stockpile of beef jerky and Doritos for the Halo marathon he was going to have tonight with his buddies.  Damned if he wasn’t going to make this weekend count.