my new balls

I enjoy being alone often.  I enjoy shopping alone, drinking coffee alone, dining alone.  But good company is also nice.  And a little hard to find when ya just dont know anyone. or so I thought.

So, my german teacher invited my class to watch the rugby game with her in Talbots, the english pub, on Friday night.  I went.  she didnt show up.  I saw my class enter in one by one, but when they realized she wasnt there, they didnt bother to stay.  So I had a pint and watched half the game from the bar before calling it a night.  Rugby is actually a really fun sport to watch, so I enjoyed myself.

Saturday was the Heidelberger Herbst which is a MASSIVE street party with flea markets and sausage vendors and tons of live music.  A friend or two from München were supposed to come down, but they werent able to.  The family gave me the weekend off anyways, so I went alone.  It was fun and interesting, but after a few hours, I was done.  I had run into a girl from my german class around noon, however, and she said that there was a rugby game 3pm and canada was playing.   She said that she already knew of a few people going to The Dubliner (the irish pub) to watch it.

Well suprise, surprise. No one showed up.  I'm starting to think this is a joke to play on the canadian chick.  anyways,I ordered a pint and watched the game from the bar. the pub was really nice. Loud, but friendly. and almost entirely english speaking.  So I finished my pint and the game was only half over, so I decided to order another. Hell, Ive got nothing better to do.

There's quite a few people there cheering for Australia and a table of four guys cheering for Canada. I guess they're around 25. They well dressed and decent looking.  The idea enters my head first as a joke.  I often play this little game where I think up something thats entirely inappropriate and then imagine doing myself doing it, just to see how awkward things would get.  Things like grabbing a handful of a strangers popcorn or something.  Things I'd actually never do. So I'm looking at this table and thinking 'wouldnt it be funny if I just sat down, introduced myself as Canadian, and asked to have a drink with them? Yup, that would be so awkward.'

But I'm on my second pint, and the further I get, the less crazy this idea seems.  Because really, if they say no and it's totally embarassing, I'll just leave. There's 2 other irish bars, and I'll just never come back to this one.  And the chances of them being such asses is low.  If they say yes, but are total dorks or assholes, I'll finish my drink, thank them for the conversation, and be on my way.  There's no chance of being kidnapped and murdered or anything, because I know how to keep an eye on my drink and there's a million people here so its not like they're going to drag me off without anyone noticing.  So finally, the games over and I decide to do it.  Thinking the whole time, 'this is going to make an awesome blog.'

'Hi. Um. I noticed you cheering for Canada. Are you Canadian too?'

'actually, just me' says one.  'He's from england, he's from Ireland, and he's from Holland'

'oh. Um. This is very...forward. Would I be able to join you for a drink? I'm very new here and desperate for a conversation with someone my own age.'

and so it goes.  At first, a little awkward.  I think they weren't entirely how to take me. Is she a prostitute? no, she's wearing jeans and a tshirt. Is she a desperate housewife type trying to get laid? not old enough.  Is she drunk? not at all.  So when they realized I was actually normal, and just looking for people to talk to, things went just peachy.  We watched the next game together, and then one of the guys left to do some work at home.  Shortly after, the others explained they were meeting some friends for dinner.  I thanked them for their company, and after exchanging email addresses, prepared to head on my way. But then they invited me to come to dinner at this restaurant that is actually really close to my house.  I thought, why not.  Again, if it's awful, I can just leave.

But it wasnt awful. It was awesome.  The two girls they met for dinner were from England and Sweden and were super fun.  One had been an aupair herself and had some great stories to share.  We ate and drank a bit more and then headed to a club to dance and party. We met up with more of their friends, guys and girls, who were all fabulously kind and I even got to have a few conversations in german.  I stumbled home at 2:30 am and woke up with a wicked hangover.  But it was entirely worth it.

I'm about to head out to catch the USA rugby game at another Irish pub the same crowd.  But no beer today.  I'm so thrilled with myself for growing some balls!