Positive

Connor stood in awe of the masses of people dancing and partying all through the streets. It was as if a tidal wave of joy had crashed over the heads of humanity and washed everyone out to the seas of elation. It was odd to think the simple experience of one year ending and another beginning could be responsible for so much rampant joyfulness. Connor smiled to himself. He couldn’t help it. It was really pretty contagious.

He lifted his glass of champagne and toasted the revelers in the street. He sipped from his glass and turned back to the party he was attending at this stranger’s condo. Connor had actually lucked into this party when he just happened to bump into Carrie at the neighborhood bar. She had asked how Connor was going to spend the New Year and he had told her that he didn’t have any plans. She invited him to this fancy party on the 25^th floor at her friend Jason’s condo. He was happy to join her and he’d hope to get some time alone with her, but much like he’d expected. Carrie was now making out with some other guy Connor didn’t know.

Connor had wandered out to the balcony for a cigarette and to get away from the crowded isolation New Year’s Eve can often burden people with. He also just couldn’t stand to see so many people now making out. It wasn’t obscene or anything, but it did seem to be slowly turning into an orgy. The whole party was all couples. Connor seemed to be the only single person in the whole group of partygoers. He looked back through the sliding glass doors and heard some laughter and decided it was now safe to go back in.

He slid open the glass door and re-entered the New Year festivities. The kissing couples had ceased and were now sloppily pouring shots into each other’s mouths. Connor looked for Carrie but he didn’t see her. He had a vague idea where she probably was, considering he didn’t see the guy she had been exchanging tongue messages with. He put down his champagne and decided right then and there that there was no purpose for his presence any longer.

Connor excused himself from the group and found his coat and hat. He made a general good-bye, but since he really didn’t know anyone no one made a fuss with his departure. He took the elevator down and walked out into the cold New Year. He passed bars and clubs still shaking with the sounds of some kind of New Year survival heroism. He thought about all the people inside, some of them probably feeling a lot like he did. Others probably feeling like Carrie. It was the same everywhere and Connor’s problems didn’t seem original. In fact, they were rather lackluster.

He decided that this year, was his year and he’d have to start making the best of it. He’d been putting all of his problems and issues out there for everyone to see but hadn’t done much of anything to take them off the clothesline and get them folded and put away. It was time to start being positive and really happy. Not the exterior happiness that he was so good at portraying, but some real internal happiness. It was time to start really living and an odd numbered year was as good of a time as any.

Connor returned to his neighborhood bar where his evening had started and the crowds of other partiers had diminished slightly. He found a space the bar and ordered a beer. He thought to himself that he’d get started on that new positive life perspective right away, or at least after this beer, or maybe after this beer and shot, or shots. Then, he’d start.