Mary smiles to see him, and calls out, "Hello, Gerard! Glad you made it!" as he's still crossing the room. Her eyes go wide when he explains part of why he was 'late', and she exclaims, "A parade that ends in a fire? Sounds like a sporting event gone wrong back home!" Then a considering look comes over her face, and she admits, "Or a sporting event gone right. Even when their team wins, some fans will riot."
She sips at her glass of juice. The bartender is still skeptical about serving her alcohol -- not because he disbelieves that she's an adult, but because she's smaller than standard size and he doesn't know when to cut her off from drinking. (For once, Mary decided not to make a scene.)
She hadn't been expecting this when the end came. It's another chance -- a chance to be looked at as something other than a joke or someone pitiful -- and Mary doesn't want to waste it.
"People have been nice," she observes. "I wasn't really expecting it."
It's all good
She sips at her glass of juice. The bartender is still skeptical about serving her alcohol -- not because he disbelieves that she's an adult, but because she's smaller than standard size and he doesn't know when to cut her off from drinking. (For once, Mary decided not to make a scene.)
She hadn't been expecting this when the end came. It's another chance -- a chance to be looked at as something other than a joke or someone pitiful -- and Mary doesn't want to waste it.
"People have been nice," she observes. "I wasn't really expecting it."