Hangout

Last night, after nearly a month of uninterrupted power, the electricity went out, so I decided to sit outside under a tree for some fresh air. Soon after, one of my neighbors joined me, and we started talking about football. Before I knew it, another neighbor joined, and the group kept growing until we were six men, chatting about everything possible on earth.

Seeing how the night was turning into an unexpected hangout, I sent my niece to buy drinks for everyone. The blackout had turned into an impromptu reunion. We talked for hours, sharing stories and jokes, with nobody eager to leave.

It wasn’t until much later that I realized how late it had gotten. We had been talking for more than four hours, and while the conversation was lively, I knew we all had things to do the next day. I felt responsible for bringing the night to a close.

In a respectful way, I gently reminded everyone of tomorrow’s responsibilities and encouraged them to head home and get some rest. No matter how much fun we were having, I didn’t want to keep them up any longer.