Having a drink with Amanda is not an unusual occurrence. Having a drink on the roof of Toronto’s Drake Hotel is. Actually, I learned, it’s called the Sky Yard. The night started with a text:

Amanda: Wanna go for a drink to the drake lounge tonight? They’re voting for Toronto’s hottest chef.

Me: Is that a joke?

Amanda: Nope!

This is classic Amanda. If she wasn’t in my life I wouldn’t have attended half the events, parties, festivals, readings, screenings, yard sales, wine tastings, night markets, dive bars or parades (?!) that I have. These excursions aren’t always home runs, but I’m usually glad I went.

So this night I said sure. We arrived just as they announce the winner. It was a woman which I don’t think is what we expected. We opted for the rooftop to get some air. There we met her old Halifax pal of which she has an endless supply. He bought us drinks all night and we were set.

To be honest I don’t really remember what we talked about. A side effect of free drinks? Likely things like what our weekend plans are, how hot it is out, what the humidity is doing to our hair… But make no mistake, we know how to get deep and have on hundreds of occasions. But the best thing about good friends is that you don’t have to all the time. We’ve known each other for 16 years give or take. We know what our issues are and we accept them. Sometimes it’s better to just have a drink and enjoy.