It's Sunday and I'm at a BBQ for a friend's girlfriend's birthday. The sun is out, the Q is Q'ing, and some of my bestest friends are there. For the first time in a while, I am feeling good. Or at least not miserably freaked out about the current state of my life. The last thing I want to happen is to somehow be reminded of my recent unpleasantness.

About halfway through the party, I am hanging out on the deck, talking to some people I know and some people I don't know. One of the guys there suddenly looks up at me and tells me he knows me. "Hey," he says, "you work at (name of ex-company." He has me. He knows me. He has brought up what shall not be brought up.

Now what do I do? I could tell him the truth but I don't want to tell him the truth. I don't know him, I'll never see him again, I don't want him to know my business. I could maybe say the truth, kind of, and say that I did work there but don't anymore do to whatever reason that isn't the reason, but once again, that's too slippery of a slope to lie on. There's nowhere else to go, so I pull out the big one- yes, I work there. And with that, the inter-office banter begins. He tells me what a great guy my ex-boss boss is (something I'm not a big believer in, but that's not a big story). I make my exit as fast as I can.

Okay, I'll lie. But I'm not going to play it up. Just get in, get out and nobody gets hurt.

The party goes on and I avoid him like the plague. I know I've lied, I know I'll probably cause some sort of ripple effect on Monday when he goes to work, but that's okay if I can just make it out without any further damage. Just gotta make sure I don't run into him again.

Finally, much later, it's leaving time and so I say my goodbyes. The guy is up on the deck, by the doorway out talking to his sister and some random woman. As I make my way out, I just pass them, hoping to leave everything as is, not wanting to let them know that I'm on my way out so that I don't have to say any sort of goodbye. But as I pass them I hear the guy suddenly tell the random women that I work in the Department he's been telling her about and that she should talk to me about helping her find a job.

I am stuck.

Should have known this would have happened. I've seen enough "Seinfeld's to know that one small lie always grows into a big lie. Or at least it was with people like me (which is why "Seinfeld" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" is the Gospel). But it's too late. Now I'm stuck in a conversation about a job I no longer have.

First I roll with it, play along with the lie. Then I try and change the subject onto her. That only works for a few minutes. Next thing I know she's asking me all about my job and how I like working there and if my job is crazy.

I think about telling something along the lines of the truth, but I freeze up. I say I have to go and get the hell out of there. God only knows what sort of random story is going to come out about me tomorrow.