something different
This New Year’s Eve will be a bit different from the ones I’ve known. At dinner over at my parents’ tonight, my dad dropped the bomb that they aren’t having their annual party.
My brother is having the party at my parents' former home. There’ll be a lot of people there that he and his wife have invited - ones that I don't necessarily know. My mom and dad wanted to pass the baton to them because their new house is smaller and a lot of their friends wanted to stay home this year. They can’t house us all like before (we all stayed in our old bedrooms) So that tradition definitely had to come to an end. I feel weird about it. So many years I've spent New Year's with my family and close friends at my parents' party. A lot has changed this year and maybe a new way to start the New Year is in order too. A compromise has been made: everyone will do what they want on the Eve and we’ll come together as a family on New Year’s Day for brunch at the folks’.
For a quick minute I thought I’d stay the night with mom and dad anyway. Watch Dick Clark’s special, drink whiskey and sprite, and fall asleep on the couch after the Space Needle fireworks celebration on TV got over. My dad put a stop to that.
“Dayna, you are much too young to be staying in with your folks. Don’t you have a party of your own to go to? Your friends must have something going on. You need to be out with other people your age.”
“I like being with you all, Dad,” I protested. I was having a hard time visualizing ringing in the New Year with a bunch of people I barely knew at some random party. To me, it’s about reflecting on the old year, saying goodbye to the good and the bad it held and looking optimistically ahead surrounded by those who love me and whom I love. Even if that means spending the evening doing something a little on the dull side. This was just his way of getting me out there in the potential dating pool.
“I’m happy the way things are, Dad.” It was a loaded statement. Happy that I’m dateless on New Year’s, happy I’m mate-less, happy to stay in on the biggest party night of the year. He knew it wasn’t entirely true. I looked at his tired face and felt his love for me. I know what the one thing left for him to do in this life is: see his only daughter completely content. It’s a tall order but I should at least let him believe that I’m trying.
“Okay! I’ll find some friends and hit the town. Happy?”
“You can tell me all about it over bloody marys on New Year’s Day. That tradition will never change.”
So I am in on the Girls Night Out with Sandi and some others. I’ll dress up and go to the casino’s dance club; I’ll have a good time and ring in the New Year a completely foreign-to-me way. Sandi is excited. She has a table reserved by the dance floor and reservations for our group at the nice restaurant in the casino. My choices were limited and this seemed like the more fun of my option. It was either hang with the single ladies or else go to Mel’s party where everyone is paired up and I’d be a fifth wheel all night. As much as I love Mel, I couldn’t bear what possibly could turn into the most depressing night of the year.
