Happy 24th Birthday Casey!!!
For the last 3 years I have missed my best friend Caseys birthday party. I've always had a good reason, in fact I've always had the same reason. You see, I just happened to start dating the wonderful angel that is my wife at Casey's birthday party oh so long ago and, since then, I've spent every January 27th with her. This time, however, my lady love is in the middle of yet another national tour with Diavolo and I am, therefore, regretably without her company.
The upside of my lonliness however is that this year was the first time since Caseys 21st that I was in attendance for his birthday party and, as dead tired as I am now sitting here at work, it was worth it.
The night started out with an intimate gathering at Chez Gaude (pronounced Shey gawdy), the restaurant where Ben Sparks works his special brand of culinary magic. Our crew had reserved a large, corner couch area and, although things got to a slow start, we quickly assembled a good group and got the party under way. After drinks and bad inside jokes Ben produced a large cake which, after much fanfare, he proceeded to light on fire while the group sang happy birthday. The cake was as delicious as it was flammable. It also stained our teeth a lovely shade of grey for a good portion of the night. All in all...Totally worth it.
Around eleven Casey, Ben and I left the restaurant huddled under one pitifully inadequate umbrella, giggling maniacally as we loudly sang what I'm sure were the wrong words to chubby checkers' "lets twist again". This was great fun.
We then did the twist in the middle of the street in the rain.
We made our way to Linda's where, admittedly, I lost track of Casey for a the better part of an hour as I caught up with, literally, every one of the friends that I had not seen for a while. It was a veritable who's who of people that I love/tolerate. At this point I briefly toyed with the Idea of calling in sick. Upon further consideration I abandoned this idea as irresponsible and pointless. Drinks were had, toasts raised, and time, as is the case in a place like Lindas, passed quickly. When I finally did reunite with Casey he was decidedly more intoxicated than he had been at the restaurant but was still in control of his faculties, he had simply acquired his trademark drunken swagger/"Italian Mafia" pronunciation. Funny but manageable.
At this point I toyed with the Idea of going home. (1:00am) 7 hours until work
The group made its way down the street to the usual party wind-down spot, the Clever Dunnes. I drank water and planned my ill-fated exit strategy while the chaos that is my drunken friends whirled around me like a bourbon-fueled tornado. Once again I managed to lose track of the birthday boy in a flurry of hugs and high-fives from friends I had neglected. Just as the bar lights kicked in and "last call" was shouted I heard rumblings moving through the party crowd that an "after party" was being held at Andrews apartment. I decided that I would crash at Caseys then informed the mob that I would attend. (2:15am) 5 hours 45 min until work
Outside the bar the party goers had assembled as an unruly, drunken mob intent on getting out of the cold, wet Seattle night and into Andrews apartment to continue "celebrating" Caseys birth by throwing away brain cells like confetti. I was so distracted by Daves overexcited "bro hugs" that I did not even notice the absence of the birthday boy as the crowd made its way across Denny towards the apartment complex. It was Ben Sparks that finally noticed and retrieved Casey from his hiding spot within the Dunnes.
Caseys state of inebriation at this point can only be described as "The Gumby Phase". The phase in which one is so intoxicated that ones movements share more with a string-puppet gumby than any bipedal mammal know to modern science.
With considerable help, Casey made it to Andrews apartment and plopped down heavily in a chair on the outside walkway. By this point, my stamina was all but evaporated and I needed to sleep since my workday was only five short hours away. I gathered up Casey, said my goodbyes and made my way to Caseys apartment to get some much needed shut eye. (3:00am)5 hours until work
Upon hitting the couch I was instantly asleep. It was wonderful. It was also, however, short lived.
I was then awakened by what sounded like a home invasion but turned out to be a large group of my drunken friends bursting in the door to Caseys apartment to assault him with a bright blue latex dildo that can only be described as "practical joke big". I could only make out a few words but I am sure someone said "this will go much quicker if you don't struggle". I took the only course of action I felt was open to me. I pulled the covers over my head and fell back into a terrified, restless asleep. (3:45am)4 hours 15 min until work
Soon,I was again roused from sleep by what I can only describe as a remarkable impersonation of Chewbakka trying to lose weight for the senior prom coming from the bathroom ajoining the room I was sleeping in.(4:40am) 3 hours 20 min until work This was of course Casey "returning" all the alcohol he had "rented" throughout the evening in one efficient session. Again, I pulled the covers over my head and slept until my cell phone alarm woke me at seven am.
Now I am at work in a large sweatshirt I stole from Casey, My back hurts, I am half awake, and I miss my Wife more than anyone has ever missed anything.
Happy Birthday Casey, I'm glad I got to share it with you this year! It was great. Now, back to work for me. *sigh*
Later
The upside of my lonliness however is that this year was the first time since Caseys 21st that I was in attendance for his birthday party and, as dead tired as I am now sitting here at work, it was worth it.
The night started out with an intimate gathering at Chez Gaude (pronounced Shey gawdy), the restaurant where Ben Sparks works his special brand of culinary magic. Our crew had reserved a large, corner couch area and, although things got to a slow start, we quickly assembled a good group and got the party under way. After drinks and bad inside jokes Ben produced a large cake which, after much fanfare, he proceeded to light on fire while the group sang happy birthday. The cake was as delicious as it was flammable. It also stained our teeth a lovely shade of grey for a good portion of the night. All in all...Totally worth it.
Around eleven Casey, Ben and I left the restaurant huddled under one pitifully inadequate umbrella, giggling maniacally as we loudly sang what I'm sure were the wrong words to chubby checkers' "lets twist again". This was great fun.
We then did the twist in the middle of the street in the rain.
We made our way to Linda's where, admittedly, I lost track of Casey for a the better part of an hour as I caught up with, literally, every one of the friends that I had not seen for a while. It was a veritable who's who of people that I love/tolerate. At this point I briefly toyed with the Idea of calling in sick. Upon further consideration I abandoned this idea as irresponsible and pointless. Drinks were had, toasts raised, and time, as is the case in a place like Lindas, passed quickly. When I finally did reunite with Casey he was decidedly more intoxicated than he had been at the restaurant but was still in control of his faculties, he had simply acquired his trademark drunken swagger/"Italian Mafia" pronunciation. Funny but manageable.
At this point I toyed with the Idea of going home. (1:00am) 7 hours until work
The group made its way down the street to the usual party wind-down spot, the Clever Dunnes. I drank water and planned my ill-fated exit strategy while the chaos that is my drunken friends whirled around me like a bourbon-fueled tornado. Once again I managed to lose track of the birthday boy in a flurry of hugs and high-fives from friends I had neglected. Just as the bar lights kicked in and "last call" was shouted I heard rumblings moving through the party crowd that an "after party" was being held at Andrews apartment. I decided that I would crash at Caseys then informed the mob that I would attend. (2:15am) 5 hours 45 min until work
Outside the bar the party goers had assembled as an unruly, drunken mob intent on getting out of the cold, wet Seattle night and into Andrews apartment to continue "celebrating" Caseys birth by throwing away brain cells like confetti. I was so distracted by Daves overexcited "bro hugs" that I did not even notice the absence of the birthday boy as the crowd made its way across Denny towards the apartment complex. It was Ben Sparks that finally noticed and retrieved Casey from his hiding spot within the Dunnes.
Caseys state of inebriation at this point can only be described as "The Gumby Phase". The phase in which one is so intoxicated that ones movements share more with a string-puppet gumby than any bipedal mammal know to modern science.
With considerable help, Casey made it to Andrews apartment and plopped down heavily in a chair on the outside walkway. By this point, my stamina was all but evaporated and I needed to sleep since my workday was only five short hours away. I gathered up Casey, said my goodbyes and made my way to Caseys apartment to get some much needed shut eye. (3:00am)5 hours until work
Upon hitting the couch I was instantly asleep. It was wonderful. It was also, however, short lived.
I was then awakened by what sounded like a home invasion but turned out to be a large group of my drunken friends bursting in the door to Caseys apartment to assault him with a bright blue latex dildo that can only be described as "practical joke big". I could only make out a few words but I am sure someone said "this will go much quicker if you don't struggle". I took the only course of action I felt was open to me. I pulled the covers over my head and fell back into a terrified, restless asleep. (3:45am)4 hours 15 min until work
Soon,I was again roused from sleep by what I can only describe as a remarkable impersonation of Chewbakka trying to lose weight for the senior prom coming from the bathroom ajoining the room I was sleeping in.(4:40am) 3 hours 20 min until work This was of course Casey "returning" all the alcohol he had "rented" throughout the evening in one efficient session. Again, I pulled the covers over my head and slept until my cell phone alarm woke me at seven am.
Now I am at work in a large sweatshirt I stole from Casey, My back hurts, I am half awake, and I miss my Wife more than anyone has ever missed anything.
Happy Birthday Casey, I'm glad I got to share it with you this year! It was great. Now, back to work for me. *sigh*
Later
posted by Jerry Kansky at
8:11 AM
3 Comments:
awwwww, poor Jerry, I can't believe you made it to work! You are soooo responsible it kills me. And your synopsis of the night was hilarious!
xo
-jenroper
"Bro Hugs". wow. dont remember that AT ALL. i do remember, however, me and oswald walking down in front of lindas drunkinly asking where casey was, then someon replied "casey is a fuckin homo". and on that note, a near brawl ensued. granted, things were calmed down before seriouse blows were thown, but hey, he's OUR homo, no-one els's. ask me some time and i'll tell you a story.
dave out
Let's not forget when Kevin kicked the garbage can into that car, and than Casey spiked the fucker on the car's hood.
Love,
Ben
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