the years and the meds and all the brain cells lost to alcohol poisoning dull her memory but do little to dull her honesty — " god ! i almost wish i wasn't so busy these days. could have given the decor a much needed facelift before the reunion. "

susana loved to talk about herself. actually, correction, she loved to lie about herself. deceit came to her as honey to a bee in summertime, sticky and ripe on her tongue, sweet all the way to the root. she'd forgotten the name of the face she now gazed upon, false smile affixed to her wine-bruised mouth - an angelwood alumni she hadn't cared to lodge into that sinewy long-term memory wedge of her brain - who expressed ardently that they'd kept up with every last one of her new york times pieces. she had grown terribly bored, terribly quickly; someone who knew her well meant no wiggle room for untruths if she ever felt like a throwaway lie, just for fun. which she so frequently did, wouldn't you just know it? but, right over their shoulder as though descended from heaven, a glorious scapegoat attempted to skate her by. "oh, i'm so sorry, will you excuse me? i just have to-" histrionic as ever, she launched over their shoulder and into the arms of the savior. "i haven't seen you in so long - wow!" she exclaimed, but the moment she settled into their non-expectant embrace, she muttered discreetly into their ear. "save me from perishing of boredom, pretty please?"