My mouthpiece Dan had a birthday yesterday. A half-dozen of us went out to dinner at a really good Latin restaurant (mojitos, roast pork, tamals, guacamole, grilled shrimp -- aren't you people tired of me running down menus for you?) and then on to a pool hall where we were joined by another dozen or so of Dan's friends and shot pool until 1 in the morning. That is, I left at 1; a couple of people were already gone, but most were still there, some playing, some just hanging. This is a long-time pool hall above a bowling alley. When I moved to the neighborhood that's all it was -- a pool hall and a bowling alley. Now it's gotten a makeover, been gentrified like the rest of the area. Loud music, huge plasma TVs, apple martinis, lounge, and gray felt pool tables. Like a club where people play pool instead of dance. I played a lot of pool in college, but not so much since. But I was once not so bad, and a little of that came back, though I've lost a lot of power, or at least the ability to focus it. I was much better on the soft shots. I was also the oldest person there by about a hundred years. Remember, my mouthpiece is my nephew, my older brother's son. Age discrepancy notwithstanding, I had a great time. Dan has terrific friends (some I knew, some I just met last night) and they all seemed to get along and have a knack for enjoying themselves. This combined with Sui-Ling's birthday party is telling me maybe what I really need to do is quit hanging out with people my own age.