On the road again...

I'm out of town for work. This is the first trip I've taken since my world changed so dramatically the week of Feb. 22nd. I'll be honest and say I've really dreaded having to go. Travel is a BIG part of my career. When I say "big" I mean like anywhere from 3 to 3.5 weeks a month. In the past I'd usually leave on Monday and return on Thursday or by midday on Friday. Jenny was always at home to be there for the kids in the evenings, and sometimes they'd stay with their mother when her schedule allowed. Well now things aren't much different, so I suppose it was time I bit the bullet and got my ass back out there on the road. Jenny is still at the house and can be with the kids in the evenings after school. The only difference is that she'll soon be their "ex step-mother".

I'm working in a coastal community in Florida and staying at a hotel directly on the beach. Unfortunately the weather is a tad bit on the cool side, but it's beautiful never the less. Yesterday evening as I ended my work day, I got a hankering for some crab legs. Next door to my hotel is a fun restaurant that specializes in snow and king crab so around 6:30 I walked next door for dinner.

Being alone and "Mr. Table For One" and all I accepted the hostesses invitation to sit at the bar. I admit I had an initial reservation about sitting there, but I quickly thought about how I couldn't shelter myself forever. So I sat down at the bar close to a group of rowdy women enjoying raw oysters and wine. I ordered a Diet Coke and started looking over the menu.

Turns out these women, and a man that was also with them, were all siblings. Several of them were from out of town. They were 5 of 15 siblings in town for their mother's 85th birthday. I'd say these 5 ranged in ages from early 40's to early 60's. Being the social butterfly that I am I soon was invited to join their group and they continued drinking wine and shooters while I enjoyed my Diet Coke.

I gotta say, I was pretty proud of myself. I ended up hanging with these "crazy kids" till around 10:30 and followed them to even yet another bar and ended up drinking only soft drinks and water. I even successfully turned down several attempts on their part to do shooters with them. If ever I was going to cave and drink alcohol this would have definitely been the opportunity. There was no one anywhere near me who knew me or my situation. No one would have ever known I was (possibly) an alcoholic. I could have drank like the fish I used to be and wouldn't have had to tell a soul that mattered. Jenny back home, or my Dad or sister or the folks at AA would have been none the wiser. But I didn't. And guess what? I actually had fun with these people. We laughed and talked and had a good time. I ended the evening reading in my hotel bed and woke up this morning, five hours after going to sleep, feeling nice and refreshed!

Maybe having to travel again won't be such a bad thing after all...