Who Else Is Gonna Be There ...

Ed's Note: This is not the result of a recent occurrence, but rather the culmination of about eight years of the same ignorance that has not changed in a multitude of fair-weathery types you'll probably be able to relate to as well. If you think this is about you, in some indirect way, it probably is. Hell, I'm probably even guilty of this one.

You wanna go out and have a jolly good time. You pick up the phone, and scroll through your electronic rolodex searching for jolly good people to kick it with, and you happen upon a few friends.

You make the mental list of your eclectic team for the night, and start calling to see who's in and who's out.

"So yeah, I was thinking about heading to 'The Hangout' tonight," you say. "You wanna meet me there?"

Before your friend takes their next breath, you already know he or she will respond. You know the drill better than you know your television remote in the dark.

"Who else is coming," they ask?

Does "You wanna meet me there?" beget another question like the aforementioned? Isn't that a yes or no question? Fifty/Fifty, right? I mean, why do we insist on knowing whose presence we will be in before we make a decision to grace wanna-be luminaries with our presence?

My first thought any time I'm asked this question is to say, "The door man. The xtc man. the bartenders. A few cute females. More busted ones. A few wanna-be thugs. Too many dudes, period. The DJ, and oh yeah, I'll be there, isn't that enough," which obviously wouldn't be considering that they're asking you the question.

Is it that the Inquisinator has a quotient of cool that must be met before they're allowed to make an appearance? Or are they trying to avoid running into some ex-friend or butt buddy that you're still cool with?

Fun Fact: You're not that damn cool if you can't walk in a room full of people who don't know you (and vice versa) and make friends with a select variety.

You never know. All I know is that it's frustrating when you're trying to get plans off the ground, and the first (second and third) person you call wants to ask ignorant ass questions like, "Who else is coming?"

Does it really matter? That's all I'm asking, and if it does, should it?

Ask me a better question in response like, "What is the cover gonna be," or better yet, tell me that you think I've got a great idea and the first two rounds of drinks are on you. Surprise me.

Stop coming with the "freshman year of college" line that proves your insecurities to be larger than your ill-fated ego. Change the game up, before calling patterns change.

Ed's Note: Please remember, this is not from a specific incident, but rather a culmination of memories and thoughts collected over the course of several years. No offense given, thus none should be taken.