A Story of Two Friends
Among the trinkets and decorative items in a nineteen year old girls room, one stood out boldly- a bright green clay vase with ethnic colors and painted flowers round it. Not a perfect or a beautiful vase, this one is broken in several places. The owner of the vase has carefully mended it, but spider like cracks remain. If the vase could talk, it would tell the story of two girls and a friendship…
Sarah and Annie met at the school premises on the first day of school life when nothing in the world seemed attractive or important to them than the mere security feeling of clinging on in their parent’s arms. Sarah and Annie had been friends since they were little. All though elementary school they were the pair that everyone knew. Where one of them was there the other was sure to be right behind. But this friendship matured when they were in mid school. One day, half way back from school, Sarah turned hesitantly and gave Annie a bright green clay vase. It was a small gesture of friendship and an introduction. Annie accepted shyly, and they smiled at each other. And on that day a simple friendship between two five year olds was established.
Years flew by. Sarah and Annie grew up together, played together, studied together and naturally, became each other’s closest confidence. For years, they had shared every detail of their lives, big or small, with each other. They constantly helped each other deal with pain, suffering and joy that comes with the new experiences one faces as a teenager. Sarah depended on Annie for so many things and Annie was unceasingly there for her. Annie always listened closely to Sarah’s problems with a nonjudgmental ear and helped her solve them. When Sarah desperately needed someone to laugh at her jokes and give her encouragement to follow her dreams, Annie’s words always reassured her. When Sarah needed someone to help her understand why she cried, Annie simply cried with her. Sarah shared every secret with her causing her sometimes to wonder if Annie knew more about her than she did about herself. Being around Annie helped her to learn who she was and who she really wanted to be.
Annie cried on Sarah’s shoulder when her brother died in a car accident. Annie was there for Sarah when she fell during a gymnastic routine in the talent show and everyone had laughed at her. Sarah was there for Annie when she had some medical problems. When Sarah ran away from home at the age of ten after an argument with her mother, it was Annie who convinced her to get back home. Sarah was a part of Annie, as Annie was a part of Sarah.
Life is not all about walking on a bed of roses. People change as they grow up, for better or for worse. But sometimes changes are hard to accept. And even the most special friendships can be destroyed. When Sarah was sixteen years, she met a boy. A boy to this sixteen years old Sarah, was heaven sent. Sarah started hanging out with this boy all the time, and she started to see less and less of Annie. Sarah wasn’t there for Annie when she needed her. Annie was going through a difficult period and found herself mildly depressed. Although Annie was deeply hurt, she tried to be understanding. She was still there for Sarah when she had arguments with her boyfriend and needed a shoulder to cry on.
Upset and depressed about the state of their friendship, Annie invited Sarah to her house to talk. When Annie tried to bring up her difficulties and her problems, Sarah brushed off saying, “Later”. Instead, Sarah asked Annie ideas for what she should buy for her boyfriend on their half-year anniversary. Annie could not take it anymore. Anger, sadness, resentment, betrayal and disappointment washer over her. Annie exploded. She started crying and she yelled out at Sarah.“What am I to you, Sarah? Your friend or just a little dog?” Annie cried. She was hoping for an apology and some support. Instead, Sarah was very defensive and she yelled. A friendship of ten years was disintegrated before their eyes. And there was nothing that either of them could do about it.
“That’s it Annie, I hate you!” Sarah yelled. There was no way of taking it back. They broke eye contact and Sarah stomped out of the room, slamming the door hard right behind her. The green vase in the shelf jumped and fell down on the floor, smashing into several pieces. Unstoppable tears were out of Annie as she knelt down picking up the pieces.
No more giggling, no more gossiping, no more endless sleepovers and no long phone conversations with her friend. Ten years friendship shattered like the vase, the vase that was so preciously taken care of all these years, the vase that symbolized everything about their warm friendship.
The pain of losing a best friend, losing the one you trusted the most, is worst than a thousand stabbing knives. An emptiness filled Annie’s heart. She knew it was irreparable, it was all over.
At school, Annie and Sarah were stiff. Not longer after the argument with Annie, Sarah broke up with her boyfriend. Both were stubborn and the distance remained. Hurt and betrayal took time to heal. Both of them could not forgive each other. The broken pieces lay untamed in Annie’s drawer. Even if it was put back, no matter how carefully, cracks would still remain. A broken vase could never be perfect again.
One year passed. It was Annie’s nineteenth birthday. Instead of feeling happy, Annie only felt gloom. She remembered her eighteenth birthday, one month before their fight. It had been a great one, and they had been so happy. They had giggled over the silliest things and engaged in a food fight. They had vowed their friendship would last for eternity. Bittersweet tears fell out of Annie’s eyes. She could still remember an image of five year old Sarah holding out the green vase to her.
The doorbell rang. Annie hopped up and rushed to the door. The door swung open. Annie froze. Sarah stood outside, holding a small package. “I just wanted to say.. well I”. The former best friends looked at each other, their emotions mirrored on each others face. “Hap… Happy birthday, Annie”. She shoved the gift into Annie’s hand and ran down the pathway. Annie felt compelled to follow, but she gently closed the door.
Going to her room, she sat down on her bed and opened the gift. It was a bracelet. Attached to it was a note that read, “Dear Annie, Happy nineteenth birthday”. At the bottom was a small, “P.S. I’m sorry”. Two words. Two words that filled Annie’s heart with joy. She picked up the phone to call Sarah. And she now tried mending the pieces of the green vase.
Although the vase would never be perfect, an imperfectvase was much better than a shattered one.
ps. Happy Birthday to My Friend!
I enjoyed reading this thought provoking story. You would think if two teenagers with a ten year friendship could repair a broken vase, then two old grandma’s with twenty-five years of love, caring and devotion could do the same. I am sorry I didn’t get to read this on Friday. It has been a little crazy around here. I hope I can share the details with you. Thank you for the story.
P.S. I have some glue
Your Welcome. It sure makes you think…how much trouble little things can cause.