Back in your cocoon, social butterfly
No matter how hard I leaned on the wall, I was unable to disappear into it. I was in a beautiful space, high ceilings, multi-colored rooms. The wine and cheese set mixed with the spirits crowd. I mixed with almost no one, not even my fellow wallflower. The crowd undulated as the arrivers crossed paths with the departers. All around me conversation and alcohol seemed to flow smoothly in and out. No waves there. A few times I was able to insert a comment, but generally I had nothing to say about flex spending accounts, bourbon vs. whiskey, the Chinese Internet, or horror films. Admittedly, I never once asked anyone a question, but no questions came to mind. I never initiated the "Hi, I'm ..." handshake, because I knew that would require follow-up. Although, I'm not sure anyone actually followed up with me. Maybe they sensed my reluctance. Somehow during the evening my watch skipped an hour. I was glancing at my watch thinking, "it's 11:30, I could leave." Then I was informed that it was only 10:30. Time had slowed considerably. I did what anyone in this situation would do: I ate more cheese. It was tasty, but proved unmoving. So much for the power of cheese.