April 18, 2017:
Families at the birthday party. Gray hair, crow's feet, beer bellies. Children running under tall tables.
Adults don't mingle. Groups and families remain together: islands of conviviality with those they already know.
No single women here. The author remains in good spirits. He'll find his match. Meanwhile there's beer, he knows some of the couples, he's gregarious and can talk with anyone. The night's just fine.