That would probably be better sobriety wise, and also anxiety wise. The earlier get-together is actually lunch after a noon AA meeting. Thursday is our normal fellowship day, but it also happens to be the friend's birthday, so one of the guys offered to buy him lunch at the place we always go. And I wouldn't have to deal with absurdly abnoxious people. Even when they aren't drunk off their butts, a lot of gay men can be a bit much, especially when they are out at a gay bar or club, cuz they are really wanting to find a date to take home at that point... even tho I'm a girl, I think I would reach my limit pretty quick. I would hate to go to all the effort to get there, just to only be able to stand to stay for a hour or less...