The spirit of the new year still a young robust cheer within, I found myself walking by a favorite place to eat––a bit overpriced and all, but since eating there is a once/twice a year event, I don’t complain––and I did not pause for thoughts, I went in. Sat at a table for two and waited to be served. This is a big deal for me! You see, I have been shy about seating alone at a table for two for eons. Whenever I think to do it I chicken out; killing the urge with a string of silly excuses.

Of course, once the whole thing started feeling real I begun to tremble like a leaf; I could not decide if I should keep my eyes mostly to my shoes or the table. Eventually I started to look around only to realize that no one gave a farting cow––and even if they did, so what? When my food came, I ate very slowly with an obvious trembling hand. It all felt like a good laugh.

At one point, when I was almost done eating, a little queue with groups of two and more started to form closer to the door, and behind where I sat. Their stare fed me a need to hurry, but disobeying the feeling, I kept my slow pace. >:)

When it was all over and I poured out onto the street on shaky legs, I felt so cool and the air felt so fresh. My steps were light and I flew all the way home.

—