The Key to a Happy New Year

We called Jennifer.

Us: “Jennifer, we are meeting at Ashley’s at 5:30 and we are going to drive to Tulsa for New Year’s.”
Jennifer: “Okay, that’ll work. I have a place where we can stay.”
We looked at each other, both of us thinking that was too easy, should we push our luck and invite Gabe?

We called Gabe.

Gabe: “Hey, what’s your plan?”
Us: “We are meeting at Ashley’s at 5:30 to finish getting ready and then we are going out downtown.”
Gabe: “Okay, sounds good, what are you guys …
Us: We interrupt, whispering under our breath… “We’re going out downtown, downtown Tulsa.”
Gabe: “Wait, what did you just say? [Downtown Tulsa] Okay, I’ll see you at 5:30.”

I turn to Ashley and say: “Why is everyone so damn agreeable today?”

So we loaded up, blasted up to Tulsa, and arrived at Lynn and Robert’s house. They ended up being the dearest, lovely, accommodating people. We felt like we were in a Bed and Breakfast. Getting ready rituals, dancing, singing, and NYE interviews into the ornament that hung from the ceiling looking like a microphone ensued while we listened to … who else? Drake.

Once we were finally looking sassy, we went to a bar called the Grey Snail, where we met many really interesting people, all of whom, we could write a little ditty about…. But we don’t want to be still writing this when the clock turns 2013 (if we survive the December 2012 apocalypse mess).

I woke up to Jennifer walking in and saying “Barrett is soaked, head to toe, and he does not have our car key. I looked everywhere.” Instead of giving much weight to how we were potentially stuck in Tulsa, potentially out a couple hundred bucks for a locksmith, or potentially in for a long drive to the city to grab the spare key… we decided to retrace Barrett’s steps. In passing, he mentioned that he might have napped in an alley for a bit last night. This proved to be the crucial detail in the mystery because once we went back to the Grey Snail to search the parking lot… all we needed to do was locate and scour and alley.

There it was: one key to a Kia. Eagle eye Gabe had saved the day and maybe the year.

2012 is going to be great.