Drinking Age

With such dignity I sipped my piña colada

(which was only coconut syrup over lemonade)

while I sat in the bubbling lukewarm hot tub

with a nursing major nursing a virgin

daiquiri, and intently I listened to her tales of the trade

while I remarked to myself that I do indeed prefer

brown eyes like hers.

First impressions—

don’t they say those initial judgments

are supposed to last or something?

During those first few afternoon minutes

around the huge food table

I mistook her for her gregarious younger sister.

While the adults mixed drinks and mingled,

I stuffed my mouth with shrimp casserole and barbeque chicken,

eavesdropping as she told a funny hospital story

whose punch line I missed—

(something about a catheter and a tuna sandwich).

She too appreciated math and poetry

and I appreciated her appreciation

and our fingers and toes pruned in the water

and we talked about hospitals and college

and we relished our virgin fruit slush

and all the while I just kept remembering

why I love being single.