I may never grow tired of a ping pong ball’s ability
to make grown adults look like utter morons
chasing after it’s hoppity attempt at escape.

Or when that perfectly thrown cornhole bag flies
straight into the hole.

I’ll never grow tired of our motley crew;
the random adventures and ‘family’ dinners
sometimes keeping us out until three in the morning.

Tonight’s big adventure is a keg
holding enough beer for fifty-four glasses,
the only rule being we party ’til it’s empty.

We got games and activities to speed up the process
(and plenty of snacks to slow down the drunkness).
In teams, we compete at beer pong and flip cup,
then challenge each other at kegstands and chuggings,
filling ice cube trays with beer before racing;
who will be first to dry it with a straw?

We’re partying like we’re still kids in college,
most of us dressed in red white and blues.
I’m a farmer’s tan in a sleeveless shirt
and a foam front trucker’s hat that reads
It’s a bad day to be a hot dog.

The keg is starting to float in the ice now.
There’s jokes, laughter, and our signature lack
of any real kind of drama.
Everyone talks to everyone
in a real mish-mash
of personalities and experiences,
a beautiful thing for the way that most of us
haven’t even known each other for a year.

This is, and has been for a while now,
one of the best things that’s ever happened for me,
knowing that any given weekend
somebody will throw out a let’s hang out
and whoever is available shows up whenever.
These people are something I can always look forward to,
they are shelter from storms
who will always be in my heart
even as life brings about it’s sometimes cruel changings.

But for a night, nothing bad exists.
We are pure and we are full…

unlike the keg that finally runs out.
We unleash a cheer to wake the neighbors,
high-fives and hugs
because this was a team effort.
We discuss breakfast in the morning
provided anyone’s ability to function
after our first annual Beer Olympics.
Photos and videos
are soon to be shared in group texts
capturing moments
that will long be remembered
in warm recollections.