Here is my idea of a good time. Wake up at 4 in the morning. Get myself together. Feed the cat. Catch the 4:18 bus. Arrive at work at 5:40 in the morning.

I was required to start work at 9. But if I got there by 6, I had time to test a movie. Me. Big screen. Empty theater. Nobody on their phones, nobody walking in late, no one talking over the movie. If I could watch movies at home and get paid for it, that would suit me fine.

(Except the theater’s screen would never fit in my one-bedroom. Also, neighbors do not like 7 speakers waking them with 12,000 watts of sound effects. Or, so I assume.)

That is how I think life should go. Up early, movies, cat. Simple!

Then there are other people in our lives. Ones that we love enough to stay late and go to a dive bar with them. We have to support the friends. Cram into a small space. Try to make your voice heard above the dozens of people that also want to celebrate their friend.

You notice that gal out of the corner of your eye. The one in the cute top. We all have that gal. The one who always catches your eye, but is bound to cause trouble. Trouble that we do not need. Fun trouble. Trouble that would be great while it was happening. The aftermath, though? Oh, my compatriots. We know that aftermath, do we not? We do. We are too old for that.

Which, thank you very much, another person is all too happy to remind you of. I thought I could pull off thirty-something. Life has been kind to me. The bags under my eyes could easily fit under the seat compartment in front of me as we begin our ascent. Nope.

“45?” the guy guesses. Sigh. Not until 2025, bucko. Thanks loads.

The karaoke was still two hours away. I do not drink. Even if I did, it would take quite a few to pass two hours with sixty people milling about. Why does one perform karaoke? To draw attention to themselves. I do not need any more attention. As the guy was quick to point out, I am getting too old for this. Besides, as we covered, I had been up since 4 a.m.

I hugged my friend and ducked out. I made it home by 9. I called that a victory.

That gal? Apparently she sang karaoke. Which sounds utterly charming. Which would have been trouble. Which is why it is probably best that I missed it.

There are many upsides to being an extrovert. I get that. However, being an introvert is Vastly easier. Much less complicated. And if I can get through a movie without someone poking me and asking, “What’s going on? I don’t get what they’re doing?” So much the better.