Checking In

Joy gets her complimentary glass of wine and sits back down on the ottoman.  Just like she always does, she gets the 411 on the New Guy in the room.  Where's he from, what's he doing here, how long is he staying, what's his situation.

Not that any of this is relevant in any way. When The Girls are out, we collect New Friends.  Joy is the Social Director. She keeps track of them all. 

Turns out he's in the market to buy a bar. Took a look at a few today.  Asked us if we knew anything about the bar scene.

An idiot says what?

He can't tell us the names of the bars; he signed a contract saying they are allowed to kill him if he says anything.  But he can tell us the area - the neighborhood - maybe the street. 

At the most minimal clue we are guessing them on the names of the bars on the first try. Many of them we've never been to - maybe even avoided - but know the reputations, the things they are known for, their longitude and latitude. 

Eventually he laughs and shakes his head. The kind of bewilderment where you take off your baseball hat and scratch your head.  "I'm going to go scalp a ticket to the game. Have a great time, ladies. When I finally buy a place, I'm sure we'll meet again."

He's off - and we go to check in.

Kate is delayed. Her son had some kind of respiratory thing and he's getting chest x-rays. She'll be late picking up her sister at the airport. Our directive is to check in and start primping.

We get the key. We get a wine opener from the bellman when we get our bags. We board the elevator to the 9th floor.

The hotel is adorable - very French and eclectic. There are amusing little over the top details everywhere. But most importantly it is extremely spacious (Kate got an upgrade, evidently simply for being Kate) and the bathroom is like a gymnasium.

Joy and I begin the ritualistic catching up while primping.

All the clothes come out of the bag. All of the details of the latest events in our lives are put on the table.

What have I heard from Scott? (Nada)
How is Joy's freshman in college fairing? (Fabulously)
How is the situation with the beyotch at work going? (Improving for both of us)
How are our parents (Loaded question)
What are you wearing?

And here is where the games really begin.