Night on the Town

Sat Jun 22nd, 2002 02:57:17 AM EST

Diary Entry 98
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I prepared by swapping my geeky t-shirt for something nicer and dropped my bike lights unobtrusively into one of the voluminous pockets of my jacket. Then I rode into Palo Alto for a night on the town.

I locked up my bike and helmet at the near end of the downtown part of University Ave. and walked a couple of blocks farther, toward a couple of clubs on a side street. Music and fashionably dressed people spilled out through their entryways. I crossed toward them at the street corner and lingered by the entrance. For a moment I imagined myself inside having a good time, talking to someone friendly, enjoying the evening.

The moment passed. I proceeded along the street, back to University Ave. I walked along University all through downtown, and then crossed to the other side and walked back. It was still only a little after nine o'clock, so I stopped at the Rose and Crown bar. It was nearly empty. I ordered a Guinness, then pulled my current novel out of a jacket pocket and read until my glass was empty.

I left abruptly and made another circuit of University Ave. just for kicks. I stopped at Borders and looked through their self-help section on a whim, but they didn't seem to have anything that quite fit me. Arriving back at my bike, two or three couples walked by, talking animatedly, as I unlocked it and attached the lights. I went home.