When Is It Time To Leave The Party?

When is it time to leave the party?
How do you know?

You sit alone on a too small couch watching everyone laugh and drink and smoke and smile and kiss and gesture and gather candy and cake while you sip your drink

Watching.

Friends come by where you sit
or strangers
and you forget for a moment

the constant nagging sadness

But then, as parties tend to do, the crowd shifts and mingles
and you're alone again with your thoughts and sorrow
with nothing to say
so you sigh and sip and smoke.

How do you know when it's time to leave?
When is it time to walk out the door

Go Home?

Once you open the door
you have to shut it completely
Forever
You can't allow yourself to come back in because you'd look like such a fool
Like you didn't mean to leave, like you can't make up your mind.

Is there a better party on the other side?
Up the block?
You may miss something here if you leave too soon,
but when is too soon?
How do you know when you've overstayed your welcome

Your time?

If you left now
some of the party-goers may miss you,
but, as parties tend to do, you'd be forgotten after a few more drinks and songs and
Time.

Isn't it time to leave the party when you stop having fun?