I am the gal that friend's call at the last minute to go do something exciting. They know me well enough not to ask me a month or even a week in advance. Planning usually means I will over think the event and end up not going. With that said, I have learned a great deal from my spur of the moment adventures. Enjoying every minute of hanging out with friends is my goal; therefore, I'll admit that I do sometimes get a little bit too tipsy to drive. That is how I have learned the bare necessities needed for an unplanned crash at a friend's place. I do not consider having these supplies stocked away in my auto as planning because my intention is to always go home. If you're reading this, then you have either been in my shoes before or someday will be.
First & most important is a roll of your favorite toilet paper. Go ahead and laugh but you know it's true! How many times have you gone to the bathroom and found that your friend has the cheap "John Wayne" TP that take's no shit off of anyone? That "ugh" look on your face right now is the same look you have when you realize your friend doesn't take their bowel movements as seriously as you do. Then, you silently ask yourself, "Did he/she hide the good stuff?" You look around the bathroom to see if there is a place where the good stuff is stashed. You know there is no way your friend could possibly use this crap on a regular basis, after all this is YOUR good friend; the one who called you at the last minute; the cool one of the group. "No!", you say to yourself this can not possibly be happening. Then when you realize there is no hidden TP, you resign yourself to the reality that your friend probably has permanent skid-marks staining their underwear. Worse yet, if your friend is female and wears g-strings or v-strings, then those strings reek with poo.
To take this bare necessity a bit further in order to emphasize your favorite TP's importance, look at it from a female's point of view. Men can easily whip out their penises and urinate anywhere. They do not have to always wipe it off. Females must wipe...at least I do. Some women may choose to drip dry but the consequences of that choice usually ends in a painful, burning, itching sensation similar to having the chicken pox. On the other hand, cheap TP like the kind found in gas stations, bars and restaurants is the industrialized stuff that sticks to the female anatomy. If your friend has purchased this cheap TP it is like glue when you're wet. OMG! A female will be seeing little rolled up flakes the rest of the evening. As a guy, you know you do not want you girlfriend, significant other or female of the night having that on her. You know it's true! I must emphasize though that having "John Wayne" TP is better than not having any at all. These are the some of the reasons why you MUST keep your favorite TP in your armory of travel goodies.
Second, keep an extension cord readily available to plug your cell phone charger into on your unintended nightly visit. If you're like me, your cell phone has basically become an extension of your body. When going anywhere you automatically grab your ONE charger cord that comes with the phone. The cord, however, does you no good if all the electrical outlets at your friend's place are already in use. By having your trusty extension cord, you can slyly unplug something of your friend's and quickly plug it back into your extension cord along with your phone charger. Your friend will never know the difference. Then again, that's an easy fix. What about those times when you can absolutely not find an outlet that isn't hidden from view? More often than not this is the case for me. I look and look and the only outlet I can find in the room whether in use or not is the outlet hidden behind a piece of furniture. I'm like, "WTF?" Do you move the couch and furniture every time you vacuum? Yes, you may have to stretch, crawl and use muscles that even a contortionist does not use to get to the outlet but at least you can get your phone plugged in so that you do not miss that important 8:00 AM phone call asking where you are. This is why having your own extension cord in your armory of travel goodies is of utmost importance.
Third, keep a cheap but clean sleeping bag in your goodies. Your BFF may not have intended for you to have gotten so tired or so drunk that you would need to sleep over. I understand limited bed space. Hey, I feel just as comfortable sleeping on a couch as I do in a bed. Problem is, there may not be a couch available. What if more than one person is sleeping over? What if your friend doesn't have a couch? What if the couch IS the bed of your friend? This is where your sleeping bag comes in handy. When your friend gives you that wrinkled nose, high lipped look of I'm sorry there's no place to sleep. You already have the issue covered. Your reply of, " That's okay! I'll just run and get my sleeping bag out of the car" will delight your friend that you were so smart to have already considered them. This is really funny when your a$$hole friend, who never intended for you to stay at their place at all, tries to make you leave in the wee hours of the morning. Yep, that's happened to me too. We all have that good-time buddy in our life that uses us to get what they want but then quickly kicks us to the curb when they hook up. Your travel arsenal has saved you again.
The forth & fifth items basically go hand in hand. A twin sized throw (blanket) and a pillow. These items can be used in conjunction with your sleeping bag or they can assist you from having to freeze to death in your friend's cold home. You know it just as well as I do, some people keep their thermostat turned down to 60 degree in the winter as well as summer. That can be alright for a few minutes but if you're cold...you're miserable. Having a pillow to rest your head on along with a throw to cover yourself will go a long way in making for a comfortable night's sleep.
Finally, the sixth and last thing to keep in your armory of travel supplies is a toothbrush. It doesn't matter if you only plan to crash until you wake up at 6:00 AM. Undoubtedly, this type of thinking is always wrong. Someone else will wake before you, you'll oversleep, or your host will want you to stick around for awhile. Regardless of the reason, everyone needs to brush their teeth after a night of fun. There are only two things worse than alcohol morning breath...smoker/alcohol morning breath & smoker/coffee breath. You are nodding right now. Hahaha! I don't care if you or your mate is the sexiest man/woman alive, smoker breath mixed with anything will make sexy turn into the exorcist with one whiff. So for the sake of your friendships, future escapades, and so that you do not become the butt of jokes you know nothing about...keep a toothbrush with you.
When you wake the next morning, quickly grab your arsenal of goodies including your beloved TP and dash to your car. Lingering will only mean that your goodies will need to be expanded. I will admit, I have had to expand my arsenal because I am a lingering friend. This small armory of supplies is best kept in the trunk or hatch of your vehicle. Believe me, these items are never to be taken out and stored in your bedroom or a closet...these things STAY in your auto. I learned the hard way! Good luck in your adventures.
