At the end of the night, I realized I’d had one too many drinks. I was about to call for a rideshare, but we found a bunch of taxis circling the block. As the hopeful mayor of the city, I wanted to support the cabs. They were having a hell of a time making a living since the apps moved in on their territory. Appearances were everything, and even in my drunken state, I didn’t want to accrue any controversy.
We said goodbye at the door but not before I got both Cory and Gavin’s phone numbers. Since they were in town and working for one of the firms I wanted to do business with, I needed to keep in touch.
On the way home, I stared out the window, watching the lights change color and the streets fade away. My stomach wasn’t feeling right, and I fought not to lose the small dinner I had eaten in the back seat. That would be a photo I would never be able to live down.
When the cab dropped me off, I peeled a twenty out of my wallet. The driver thanked me and drove off, leaving me alone on my doorstep. I straightened to my full height, walking through the lobby without attracting any attention.
In the elevator, I sighed, leaning up against the wall. I barely made it to my bed before passing out. In the middle of the night, I woke up dying of thirst. Stumbling to the bathroom, I poured myself a cup straight from the tap. It was enough to satisfy me, and I went straight back to bed, sleeping straight through until morning.
My head was pounding as I rose. Never again, I promised myself. From that day forward, I would limit myself to two beers whenever I went out. This torture wasn’t worth the added excitement of a third or fourth drink. Just because my college buddies were back in town didn’t mean I had to overindulge. Sighing deeply, I poured myself a cup of coffee and took a few aspirin.
It was a gorgeous morning. I wasn’t in the habit of sleeping late, but by the time I got up that day, the sun was fully established in the sky. Sometimes I went for a jog through the city, but I thought that day I would limit myself to the machines in the gym. There were a few tread mills, and there was never any competition for them.
I changed into workout clothes. Heading downstairs, I thought of all the things I needed to have in place in order to make my move. I was going to be the next mayor, and in order to do that, I needed to make a big splash on the city.