Anger Flows Like Rivers

Last night I went out with two of my good friends. Neither are too social, so I wasn't quite sure how the night would progress. I opened a set on the muni and expected them to jump in and keep the conversation going, that's the way it usually works when I roll with Prof. or Protag. Both were silent content with laughing at the crazy person sharing the bus with us.

Finally, we get to a bar and we start talking to the group sitting next to us. Three girls and two guys, one of whom is related to two of the girls. At some point blood brother spits a popcorn kernel at my buddy, who understandably gets upset but only grumbles to us. Shortly thereafter I overhear this jerk start talking about my hometown and one of its larger yearly soirées. As a local I have a special loathing for these tourist events. Streets get closed, bars charge outrageous covers, special police are sent into town. It all seems rather much. In my drunken stupor I see this as an opportunity to tell off this guy feeling this would be vindication for insulting my friend. After I broach the subject and lay out my grievances with the annual convocation of assholes he asks me if I've ever been to the town. Yes, I have and I've lived there for fifteen years. He on the other hand does not live there but is trading off the fame of my home. Prick, but usual. This is not the first time I've had this conversation. But it gets worse

While I'm being a raging belligerent asshole I overhear one of my companions pull the girls aside and say, "This is what happens when there are too many guys and not enough girls. These guys are douchebags." I immediately stop harassing the tourist and turn my ire to my friend who I feel just sold me out. So while I was standing up for him and he returns the favor by making me look like a dick and doing some shameless self promotion. Of course, he feels he's done nothing wrong. This results with us leaving abruptly and me standing of the street corner with increasing rage and deteriorating rhetoric trying to explain why I feel slighted. I think he finally understood where I was coming from. At no point should you turn on your friends and try to make yourself look better in the face of their short comings.

But what did I learn? Well, I guess you have to know the company you keep and how they'll react in different situations. I'm certain that if a similar situations occurred my friend would act more appropriately. To some extent I think loyalty and honor can be learned in the face of regret at certain incidences, or this case a stern talking to. I think that was somewhere in "The Red Badge of Courage." Hopefully we can analyze our failing and improve upon them the next time around. But it's dangerous to go into the field with untested soldiers. At the very least expectations should be altered when entertaining new company. I came off like a giant asshole to everybody, my friends and strangers, but I feel I had a valid point but maybe my drinking hampered the evening. Certainly I could have handled the situation more tactfully had I not been approaching double figures on my alcohol intake. Something for me to think about.