There was a party on the roof and beer in my blood and when the music came on, I threw up my hands in the air and danced. The Empire State Building towered over me, right across the street. I could see both rivers, fireworks in the distance, ships at the seaport, clouds misting around a full moon.

My shoes were annoying me so I abandoned them, chose to spend the night barefoot, hair sticking to the back of my neck because even as the sun went down, the air was heavy. The music played on and on and I sat on chairs and laughed so hard I nearly fell off, toppling over onto other bodies, leaning in toward others to hear their secrets, giggling and slapping their arms and NO WAY and Oh my GOD.

Pretzel sticks. I dipped them in guacamole ‘cuz I felt like it. Plum wine. I drank some because she poured me a cup full of it. Pressed my body against the edge of the building, leaned my chin into my hand and counted the taxis below. Thirteen, fourteen, one million one hundred a ton.

The city stood tall for us, showing off, all dazzling lights and glitter. People wandering forty stories below, people on rooftops across the way waving, people in apartments and working late in the office and people I couldn’t see at all.

I stared downtown as the fireworks exploded, reds and pinks and shining stars.

How could anyone live anywhere else? someone asked.

I don’t know, I said aloud because I really truly don’t.

(c) smfarnsworth