The weather in LA during the winter isn’t really that different as the rest of the year. The water in the ocean gets a bit cooler, the surfers pull out the wet suits. Sweaters and light coats get pulled out, and the wealthy old ladies have an excuse to wear their fur coats for a short while. But to the rest of us, it’s not really that different from the rest of the year. When I lived on the street, I was glad for that. I didn’t have to deal with the cold winter night scenario. Lucky me. I could have ended up in another city, somewhere where that would have been a contributing factor…

Work was going well. My little group of friends had become my own little family, although it would be ages before I’d openly admit that to anyone, including them. I got along well with my roommates. I had my nightly conquests and was enjoying the sexual freedom I found myself in. While I still enjoyed the night here and there floating on cloud nine of oxy or blow, enjoyed a night of movies, pot, and munchies with Alice at her apartment occasionally, for the most part, I was pulling my life together.

November started speeding by, no thoughts in my head making it any different of a month than any other. The last week of November arrived and we were all sitting at The Planet, enjoying our morning coffees and pastry breakfast that by now was just morning ritual… habit. I had gotten there late, coming straight from my last night’s shack-up… Karen had been fun. A bit shy, but quickly let loose… I approached the table to find Bette holding a piece of paper and Alice rolling her eyes.

“So if you bring the pie Dana, then we have everything covered, except for drinks, which I figured between Shane, Tee and I, we should be good.”

I sat down, “What am I being volunteered for?”

Bette smiled a hello at me, “Oh, drinks for Thursday. Just bring whatever you think you can afford.”