Social Atavism

Went to a party at an friends house last night. It started at a bar the night before, I saw a girl I recognized, though I didn't know where from. This, as you may know, is one of the terrible traits I am possesed of, an inability to remember names. Anyway, she remembered me, and I being well practised in faking remembrance until actual recollection, was able to pull off the conversation in good style until I could recall her aquaintence. Seems she took a shine to my buddy Nic, and she invited the pair of us to her friends party, which included a jacuzzi. So the next night we show up, case of beer in hand to the directed address at the appointed time, and walk in only to recognize no one. Jessica, the one who had invited us was busy in the kitchen and took little notice of us. I had it in the back of my mind that she was getting back at me for forgeting her name and had given a glance to the back door and was wondering if I would have to hop a fence to reach my car if I were to bolt out the rear when no one was looking. In the end Nic managed to make enough conversation to get us all integrated into the party, of it turned out mostly biology grad students. So we spent the night discussing bacteria that poduce free electrons in the course of digesting food compost and the genetic variations of bark beetles, among other things. By midnight we were all in the hot tub or rolling in the snow, variously. But for Nic, I would have sacraficed the 12-pack and been out the back door in a flash and at home watching the "Beverly Hillbillies" DVD set. Which might have made for a nearly entertaining, if shorter story.