the latest fallout from the fall (not the original fall, just last fall) was the breakup of our small group.  We had ebbed and flowed with these folks for a year or two, surviving the cross-country move of the original leaders, the finish of an internship, a work transfer, a baby and strangely, more than that even.  But, this time we decided to call it quits.  It isn’t you, it’s me and all that.  It’s funny how something like this makes you wonder, did I talk too much?  Not enough?  It was amicable enough that we felt like we should all go out for an evening on the town.  Something easy, like bowling.  No, bowling isn’t easy.  You’d think it would be, but it isn’t.  Too expensive, too hard to get a reservation, too many people wearing the same shoes.  So, in the end we went out for dinner, and to a new place.  New to me and Z anyway.  Benihana.  Have you been there?  It’s cook-driven entertainment eating where the cook chats you up while you sit waiting for food that I felt was actually cooked a bit too long but was tasty in that I-drive kinda way.   I ordered the teriyaki steak, maybe a little safe but I don’t care.  I wanted the comfort of the familiar in the end moments.  Z had the chicken.  They over deliver with side dishes-funny fried onion soup, sauteed shrimp, salad with house dressing, fried rice.  I could have done without all those sides and just had the beef with some rice.  It was good to see everyone and enjoy the time together, which is really what good relationships are all about.