There is an inherent risk to planning a party of any kind – the possibility that, despite RSVPs to the contrary, no one will show up.

Music playing, snacks laid out, drinks on ice…empty room.  Tick, tick, tick.  Check your phone.  Tick, tick, tick.  Look out the window.  Tick, tick, tick.  What’s the time?  Tick, tick, tick.  It’s a pretty lonely place - not that I know from experience, but a guy I know, he had that happen to him once and he told me that it really sucks.

As deflating as the experience may be in solitude, multiply that ten-fold when you take the party to a public place, say a bar – embarrassment on full display.  You feel sick watching them watch the door.  And though they put up a solid front, the uninvited masses can easily sniff out a plan gone awry.

It was great, in concept: 

Your friend is turning 21, so a bar is natural setting for your plans to unfold.  You’ve baked several dozen cupcakes, put on your finest dress…wait, is that a dress or just a really long shirt without pants?...invited everyone from work.  You and your two friends are going to hit the bar at about 8:30 just to make sure you can score enough adjacent tables, but the party won’t get underway until 9ish.  Or 9:15.  Or 9:45.  Don’t worry, there are more coming.  10:00.  10:15.  They probably just got hung up at work.  10:30.  10:45.

Thanks for the cupcakes last night, random 21-year-old turning chick.  The red velvet were just OK, but the marble were fantastic!