Tiny-A picked us up sometime between 6:30, and I don't know when. We careened our way to my birthday, I had suggested sushi, and Tiny-A knew the spot. You can always tell a good sushi joint the minute you walk in. Japanese staff, check, Japanese decor, check, 2 dozen Red Hat Ladies? It was a small place, almost a hole in the wall, but what the hell where the Red Hats doing there?
I couldn't help but feel out of place, uneasy, even scared. Something about the grizzled old hags sent shivers down my spine. I half expected them to suddenly transform in B-Movie monsters and start eating the staff with over sized teeth, and clown faces. They had apparently ordered everything on the menu, and with upturned noses they picked and prodded at their food. I couldn't help but watch, thinking that at any moment, my birthday dinner would suddenly turn into a 'Killer Klowns From Outerspace' sequel.
Tiny-A recalled some brief stories of her mother, who had at one time almost joined their cult. I wondered what dastardly plans she had been privy to, what strange bizarre rituals had she seen. And most of all, I wondered where one buys that many red sequins. But we ate, our stomachs growling. We devoured our rolls, Dragons, Spiders, the city of Philadelphia, and the entire state of California. Our belly's happily sedated, it was time to unleash the beast.
Tiny-A floored it, a little rocket, we flew to her place, to park the vehicle. It was time, Gannon's was calling. A quick, chilly walk brought us before the door. I could almost hear a collective sigh, "Oh great, it's them", as we walked in. Only one table remained, off in the back, pinned in between the others, but it would do until we could snatch another.
Duty called, I asked Baby to order for me. A few minutes later, I was ready, but we had forgotten one crucial piece of the puzzle, jukebox money. Tiny-A and Baby said they'd be right back, they headed to the ATM outside. They stood outside, barely visible through the window for a minute, I turned away, looked back, and they were gone. Our drinks came, but they were no where to be found. I began to get worried, and then they walked in, with a surprise. Baby sauntered down the bar giggling, holding a shiny balloon, "Happy 18th Birthday".
Of course the whole bar looked, and wondered. I was embarrassed a bit, I must say. But it was fitting. The drinks were flowing, and a new table opened up. We moved to our new spot, and proceeded to get retarded. The night is now blurry from this point on. I remember talking to the random people behind us, taking a dozen retarded pics, trying to get Tiny-A and Baby to make out. I lost track of how many drinks we had, but apparently it was just enough to make me pass out.
