A Jade Martini in a Sea of Strawberry Daiquiris

Last Friday
two of my favorite people
RJ and the woman
I introduced him to
were honored
with wedding shower
at a local watering hole
by the folks that she and I work with

I was asked to help with the shower
which was nice
because we usually use the inner circle
of each dept. to be in charge of things like that
and she and I are not in the same dept.

So I made flower arrangements for the table
not fresh flowers, just some silks
and I tied the balloons on the railings
and sat at the hostess table
while I am sure
that my coworkers
(I don't give them the honor
of being colleagues)
wondered why I was at the hostess table

Drinks were ordered at the bar
and I taught the bartender
how to make a Jade Martini
from my favorite bar
which
as the title states
is GREEN

and as I walked around
and mingled
with people from all other depts.
I noticed my boss
listening and watching
and then I was very aware
that I haven't gone to any
of their happy hour outings
all year
mainly because they are
right after work on Fridays
when I like to stay late and get things done
and
I don't really want to socialize with
most of them
and then I noticed
all the frozen drinks
that people were drinking
and realized
I am not a leming
I am not one to just go along with the crowd
I am not going to fit well in any group
not ever
not even when I want to be

I am a a Jade Martini
in a sea of Strawberry Daiquiris

I knew when I was in school
that I was different
I knew when I worked in the food service industry
that I was different
I knew when I was married
and in social situations
that I was different

and this year
this year
I was asked to be a leming
to not be different
to change
to be the same
to be non descript
to not stand out
to not rock the boat

Jade martinis have rum in them
just as a daiquiri does
they are basically
going to have the same effect
and yet
they don't taste the same
they don't look the same
they don't come in the same glass

How could anyone expect
to turn a Jade Martini
into a Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri?

I need to find a place
where Jade Martini's are accepted
for what they are
and what they have to offer

If there is such a place