Early retirement

A friend of mine (a 'Lost Love', I confess) told me a while ago that she was "off parties" - which struck me as an improbable, inexplicable policy decision. I rather fear she just meant that she was off me.

I do go through spells of withdrawal from the mad social whirl myself, so my ex's renunciation of sociability prompted me to brood on the topic for a while.... and to write this.

Off Parties

I used to love the social round:
New people, new ideas;
And myself being new to others;
But now.... I'm off parties.

I used to harvest business cards,
Building my networks,
And plotting ever bigger deals;
But now, I'm off parties.

I used to thrive on the buzz,
The casual chat, the casual sex,
And staying up all night;
But now, I'm off parties.

I used to like meeting people,
Collecting friends (like postage stamps)
To populate my loneliness;
But now, I'm off parties.

I used to enjoy spending hours in a bar
With all the pretty strangers
Who pretended to find me interesting;
But now, I'm off parties.

I used to feed on the music,
The booze and cigarettes,
And the thrill of the unexpected;
But now, I'm off parties.

I used to know everyone,
And they all knew me
And kept me always "on the list";
But now, I'm off parties.

I used to do it all,
To live it up, to chase the dream,
To party like there was no tomorrow.
But tomorrow came.