St. Louis Party

I've always claimed that I'm from St. Louis. I lived there for about three years. I graduated from high school there and the only long-term friends I have besides my family members are from there. So I've always considered myself a St. Louis man unlike my older siblings who claim Kansas City and my younger siblings who claim little podunk towns in Colorado and Utah. However, I discovered last night that I belong in St. Louis about as much as I belong in Little Rock, Arkansas. Which is to say, not at all.

Last night Craig dragged me along to a "St. Louis party" which was just a gathering of people from St. Louis at Brick Oven pizza. Besides my friends that I hang out with all the time I only knew two people and I don't like them much. The feeling is mutual. I recognized a couple others and we exchanged pleasantries. A few others recognized me and said hi although I don't remember ever meeting them or talking to them before. It's always weird when someone knows your name and where you're from and you're pretty sure you've never seen them before. The rest of the people didn't know me and I didn't know them and after looking at them and listening to them I decided I'd prefer to keep it that way.

It was a very boring night. I sat next to Matt and we just sipped our drinks while everyone around us was reminiscing about our days in St. Louis. The only person I exchanged any real conversation with was someone not even from St. Louis. She was engaged to one of the St. Louis people and looked about as lost and unwelcome as I felt. I had quite a few friends back in the day in St. Louis, but they're all spread all over the country now and I just didn't run in this crowd. I didn't belong in this gathering. I realized that if I were to go back to St. Louis I'd have no one to see and nowhere to stay. It was a sad realization as I've always looked back upon my days in St. Louis with fondness.

So once again I've decided that I have no home. I'd never claim Utah, I've been too long away from Missouri and I'd rather claim Iraq than Kansas. I plan to move back to Missouri in the not too distant future and so maybe I'll be able to claim it as my home again.

On a sentimental note, one year ago today was the first time I cuddled with my wife. Now she's almost five months pregnant with my child. How about that.