I love living in a small town where there’s an acquaintance around every corner with a smile and a “Hi, how are you?” But sometimes I need to connect on a deeper level than a grocery store chat with a fellow parent from my kids’ school.
Last week I craved the company of a good friend, and luckily my best friend and I both had a few hours in our busy schedules that worked to get together for a girls’ night.
Now, depending on your age, the words “girls’ night” will conjure up some wildly varying scenarios from intoxicated dancing on tables to lounging on the couch in your PJs watching chick flicks.
My best friend and I are both in our 30s (I might be closer to 40) so our girls’ night fell somewhere in the middle, at a comfortable watering hole, sporting pony tails and hats and catching up on all things fantastic and frustrating about the past few weeks.
After airing all our troubles and triumphs and coming up with some ways to cope with the crap, it was time to celebrate.
Dancing. We needed to dance. Of course, the only issue with dancing on the Coast is we don’t have a dance bar.
We did have two (well, three, if you count the Pen) back in the day, but all have since been torn down, burned down or transformed into church space.
Without a dedicated dance bar, I turned to the handy Community Calendar in Coast Reporter and there it was – Playback was jamming at the Roberts Creek Legion, and I knew they’d produce a beat my feet could move to.
We arrived in the Creek at the Legion and quickly made our way to the dance floor, where we cut a rug to exactly one song before it was time for the band to take a break. Our wild night of dancing would have to wait a few more minutes.
While surveying the crowd we saw several familiar faces, including the drummer from the band who I happen to work with, and a District of Sechelt councillor who I’ve quoted many times, out for the night with his wife.
When the music started back up, that councillor and his wife amazed us all with their fancy footwork, and I was reminded that you don’t learn all there is to know about a politician at the council table.
My girlfriend and I got back on the dance floor, and other than wishing I hadn’t worn a sweater that night, we had an awesome time.
Before long, our few hours of fun were up as babysitters started texting and motherhood beckoned, so we drove home laughing, singing and saying we had to do it again soon.
Sometimes all you need is a little quality time with a good friend to make everything better.
