Typically by 3:30 Friday, everyone at the office starts heading home with no intentions of seeing their colleagues again until Monday. One week, however, one of the guys is playing in a band at a bar that Friday so a bunch of the 20- and 30-something would meet there that evening. Even though they all do essentially the same work and have very similar educational backgrounds, there is quite a variety of personalities in this group.
Among the people from the office, the first to arrive, naturally, are the band member and his wife. Second to arrive is the player, who originally had not planned on going but that lady he was planning to be with that night bailed. So the player, who was raised Muslim but has rebelled against his family to be a big drinker and smoker, is already half drunk at 8pm and looking to pick up a new girl (or two). Next to show up is one of the guys in his late 30’s with his girlfriend. They briefly chat with the band member, have 1 drink, and actually leave before the live music starts because they are going ballroom dancing.
Next to arrive is the Indian dude who recently got married. They chat with the wife the whole time and do not drink any. They’re on a tight budget, having had to spend a lot on an extravagant wedding and planning to buy a house and have a kid soon. Plus she gets mad when he drinks. Just before show time, the token black guy from the office shows up. He clearly looks out of place, but really, there are plenty of minorities in the bar – it’s the fact that he’s socially challenged that makes him uncomfortable. He stands off to the side alone and says exchanges pleasantries with the other office members when they come by. By the 3rd song, he is gone. Who knows where he went?
Just in time to see the token black guy, the card shark shows up and before greeting anyone, gets a drink from the bar. He mingles a good bit and is well-liked but gets frustrated with the people who don’t understand his love for card games. Shortly afterward, the Vietnamese guy shows up sans wife. He rarely associates with the colleagues, preferring to stick to the Vietnamese crowd, but he had been saying for months that he would bring his wife out to one of the office gatherings to meet everyone. At least he came out this time, so that’s a slight improvement. Emotional dude shows up at about the same time, complaining about various little things in life. He’s quite a sociable fellow but some of the group doesn’t like him because he’s so thoughtful and gets upset with people too easily. After about the 6th song, Mormon dude arrives at the bar still in his work clothes and he orders water to drink. Like most Mormons he is completely anti-alcohol but he shows up at all the social gatherings and never appears to have any interest in women or anything really.
At the first break in the live music, everyone is gathered around and wondering where the token girl from the office is. Everyone loves her because she flirts with all the guys, even though she is happily taken. So, emotional dude gives her a call, and then gives her boyfriend a call, with no response from either. Emotional dude is also the one that frequently tried to organize social events, further getting frustrated when people don’t cooperate. Near the end of the show, player, card shark, Mormon dude, and Vietnamese dude are left in the audience with band member’s wife. Player is busy playing pool with some random girl. The card shark, who has been ready to go home for awhile and get back to playing cards online (since no one wants to play in person on a Friday night) but isn’t quite sober enough to drive, hitches a ride with the Mormon. Presumably, the player eventually took a cab home or went home with the girl, and only his wife was left to greet the band member at the end of the performance.
Note: This is not a reflection of any particular group of people – just an example of how a diverse group of colleagues might get along.
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