trivia night

last night i went to the bar for the inaugural trivia night event. it was a success as far as the spectrum of successes go, meaning people showed up and played but the hope is that a lot more players show up as the weeks progress. there were a smattering of regulars there, and a few randoms that just came in for a pint and got caught up in the spirit of the event, which was casual and inviting and with an easy edge of competition. i walked in a half hour before the game started. there were a few people there i knew, and i said hello to all of them.

first the girl that sits alone and drinks vodka cranberries because she doesnt want to get fat. she smiled flirtatiously and i smiled back. then on to a friend ive known since i started working at the bar, who sipped her wine and fiddled with her phone. then the guy whos name i always forget but who acts as if we have been friends since elementary school. and there was the guy that ive been talking to about getting a job, we spoke for a while as he ran down a strange experience he had to me.

he came home one evening after a long night at work and then out drinking. his door was unlocked but this was expected, as a friend of his had stayed the night and then shut it, but didnt lock it, when they left. upon entering though, he noticed something strange, a pillow on his floor in front of his bedroom. and his bedroom door was closed, which he never does. he went to the door and opened it and there in his bed was a young girl, completely naked, and fast asleep. he ran through his mind, searching for who it might be. it was one in the morning, and he didnt expect any visitors. his girlfriend was out of town, and he had no exes that bold or desperate.

he poked the sleeping body.

she awoke in a start, startling him even, and he asked her who she was and why she was in his apartment. she mumbled something he couldnt understand and he asked her again. this time she asked him where she was and he explained she was in his apartment, and she hadnt been invited, and that they did not know each other. without blushing, she asked if she could get dressed and he left the room to give her privacy. the whole time he was still confused on who she was and why she was in his bed, and he listened to the door to ensure she didnt take anything. when she re-emerged she bolted by him and out the front door. he chased after her in a panic. she wasnt wearing any shoes.

he yelled that she empty her pockets so that he could know she didnt take anything. while running, she pulled them from her pants, proving they were empty. still chasing behind her he yelled that he could call someone to help her. he yelled she didnt have any shoes. he yelled that it was late and the streets were dark outside. but she didnt stop.

when he went back to his house he began checking around to see if anything was missing. nothing was. but in the kitchen, on the counter near the sink, he found a pile of mail that wasnt his. after leafing through it, noting that half of it was open, he realized it was mail from his neighbors. not just the neighbors in his building, but all those in his neighborhood. she had stolen mail from places within a 4 block radius. random mail. bills and spam. birthday cards and investment tips. nothing seemed to be taken, but a lot of them had been opened.

he called the cops and they arrived to find the girl still huddled in front of his building, sobbing uncontrollably. aside from the story i just relayed to you, he had no information on her. they discovered she was a resident in a mental institution not very close by, and assessed that she had escaped without any shoes, and wandered around brooklyn, stealing mail and checking doors to see if they were unlocked. there was no rhyme or reason to her actions, she simply hadnt taken her meds. when he asked what he should do with the pile of mail in his kitchen they told him to take it to the people it belonged to. like anyone, he silently refused to do that, delivering opened mail to you neighbors isnt the best look. new yorkers dont usually get that involved.

i was impressed by the story, shocked and entertained as i should have been. then we shook hands and i went to my stool to play the game. i was on a team with my friend and we did ok, but not good enough, only securing second place. the questions werent too hard but were far from easy. everyone playing had a grand time, and the bar made more money on a monday night that it usually does. next monday i have school so cant go, but i plan on visiting as soon as i can. hopefully ill get something out of it. if not a good time, then a good story.