Part 2 – I Think I Wore This Before
Part 3 – Dance Like No One’s Watching
I Must Be Getting Old, Because I Can Have Fun Sober
Two words will say it all: designated driver. Let’s put it this way… when it comes to such events, our dear old taxi drivers turn from your everyday vultures into… jackals maybe? I think that’s appropriate enough, although I’m not such a connoisseur of wild life, so if a better comparison comes to mind, feel free to share it. But I can be an argumentative little beast myself. It’s not really about the money, but the principle involved. I live here, I know the town, I know the routes, I also know what the right price should be; and while I always tip the driver and I wouldn’t mind paying a little bit extra on that sort of occasion, I absolutely refuse to pay five times the real fare. I will certainly state my point of view to the driver… and I will inevitably be kicked out of the taxi, rude words will be exchanged, and that’s how one generally ends up having to walk home.
The festival location was not exactly within walking distance, so I weighed my options and since I was the least likely to need alcohol in order to overcome my inhibitions, I decided I might as well volunteer my driving services and enjoy the event… sober. Oh well, worse things have happened.
Looking around, trying to grasp the immensity of the crowd, I couldn’t help wondering, how many of us were there? How many of us – no matter what age – were not indulging in any of the party favours and were still having a great time? I’ve never been one for drugs, but a drink or two would be nice… Never mind. I reached for the cold water bottle I had just purchased, while my friend was downing a tequila shot, so he could feel able and willing to dance in public. We grinned at each other. Just like the good old days… We put on our sun glasses in the middle of the night – why not amuse ourselves and play the part? – and ventured back into the crowd, making our way towards the main stage.
The craziest (and what some might say stupidest) things I’ve ever done, I’ve done sober and on purpose. Let’s just say I don’t need a drop of alcohol to dance on a table, if that’s what I feel like, and leave it to that. Not that many ever believed me…
Dancing, singing and laughing in that crowd, I remember once more, so many things are the same… nothing is the same. In the middle of a trendy, youthful festival, I’m having countless “then and now” moments, and I like it. I enjoy every second of it, in fact, because I’ve learnt a thing or two meanwhile. I’m done postponing. These days, if I get the chance to enjoy something, I do my best to be aware of it and fully experience it. We need these instances of undiluted fun, the ones when we manage to let go; we need to draw the energy they can provide. Well, at least I do.
I also need to know what is real and what isn’t, so perhaps that’s why I don’t mind being the designated driver once in a while. That’s also why I like to know that my moments of crazy fun are all me, and my choice. Managing to extract fun and pleasure out of life and its moments is constantly getting more and more difficult, it requires more effort and conscious focus, so I’m happy I can still do it once in a while. To each their own… if nothing else, this seems to be the place for all kinds of fun… even for something as perverted as my sober fun.
To be continued…
Ana Linden 
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