Birthday, Drinks, Guys with hair, Sleepy Jill

Rob picks me up. It's about -7/-14 with the windchill and I am wearing my cropped denim pants and black ballet flats. A little cool. I remember when we were 18/19 going to the bar, standing outside in line with our jackets left in the car because we didn't want to put them in coat-check (hated the smell of cigarettes on our clothes). When you're young you just don't feel the cold I guess.

We head to pick up the married couple. I was in her bridal party, signed the register for her as a wittiness, but don't really talk to her anymore. I guess I was just a body for a baby blue dress. Weird how things change.

Arrive at Dylan O'Connor's on Pembina just before nine. Birthday girl and her entourage were supposed to meet us there around 9:30. Not long after we sat down some guy comes around collecting $10 for the privilege to watch the fight. I don't know anything about fights and I don't really care to become a fan but it was her birthday after all, and she would be arriving soon.

Lisa arrives after nine, which helps me lose my tough skin and relax a little. We try to amuse ourselves by picking winners of the fights based on telling factors such as colour of shorts and level of scariness in appearance. I think we had a 66% rate of accuracy. People cheered and applauded when one guy sat on the other. What a bizarre sport. I wonder to myself how much it hurts when they get punched in the head. I have no concept of this kind of pain.

At 10:40 the last fight has just begun and the birthday girl has called to say she won't be meeting us at Dylan's but has opted for The Tavern across the street instead. I was feeling cold and tired already but went along with the gang.

Tavern is much more happening. Birthday girl greets us all with hugs and smiles and I instantly forgive her for the mediocre night I was having. We line up some shots, the music hits me, and when I look around I see way fewer baseball caps and jeans (my biggest turn off). Good times.

"You should have come to Fargo with me last weekend, Jill," Birthday girl tells me. "You were right about the guys down there." I nod and find the shot on my camera of me and my favourite local. My treasured moment of anonymity. "That's what I'm talking about," Birthday girl says. I promise her next time I'm there.

Lisa and I talk about going to New York, the girls play with my hair. "It's so soft!" Birthday girl gushes. I don't even use conditioner.

A Saturday night that starts off rocky and ends on a smile. We should do this again sometime.