Slice of Life~meeting your best friend
Slice of life choices for the week of April 6, 2008
1.Meeting your best friend
2. Illness of your child
3. Family reunion
After much consideration I have chosen to reveal the meeting of a best friend. I say “a” because through out my life I have had a few. I had one as a very little girl. I cried and cried when at 10 years old we moved 400 miles away. I met another at my first full time job. Another when I owned a retail store. Still another while managing a retail. Finally, my neighbor who after six years in the backwoods together, qualifies. I still maintain every one of these friendships even the one I had as a little girl. The one I choose to write about is the one who accompanied me all through school and well into adulthood…
It was a long and forboding summer. There was a massive flood in our county and all of the kids from nearby towns were to be bused in to our school. It had been hard enough to make friends. I had tried for the last two years. I had made a few but not with any sort of grand connection. I thought this to be a strange little town. People were not very accepting if you hadn’t been born here, and I hadn’t been. This year was going to be worse, so many more kids. It seemed to this city girl that they were all related. Everybody knew everybody else, except me. I just hated the thought of school getting ready to start. My Mother had taken me shopping and I had a wonderful wardrobe. We had even ordered from the Sears catalog. I had Ink pens and pencils and brand new writing tablets. I was set. Yet I lay on my bed with the window open, listening to the sounds of the world going by and dredding that first day.
School started precisely at 7:40. There were not enough rooms to house all the students so there were two “home” rooms located in the auditorium. Wouldn’t you know it, that is where I ended up. It was kind of like twice the people even though we were at opposite ends of that auditorium. Now I have never been shy or even quiet for that matter, so I wasn’t afraid of all the new kids. I just did not understand why it was so hard to make friends, why I didn’t fit in. It made me uncomfortable. It never occured to me that anyone else felt that way….ever. I don’t remember how many kids in my class I had known from the year before but it didn’t seem like many. We had to sit in alphabetical order so the teachers could learn our names. Arnholt, Baird, Baker, Barnes, Bower. That was it for me. I was the Baird she was the Bower. We met the second day. It wasn’t an unusual meeting really, much like any other kid meets kid in school except there it was… that Grand Connection! I thought she was just about the prettiest girl in our whole jr. high. We were so much alike! We wore exactly the same size. We both had long blonde hair. As we continued all through school together we were known as the “bobsy twins”. It was always Baird and Bower. The teachers made many exceptions to keep us together. We shared everything. We put makeup on for the first time together. We shared all of our clothes. We spent almost every weekend together. We had our first boyfriends at the same time. We drank our first beers together. Went to our first school dance together. We shared our first ride in a car with boys. Football games and basketball games and the time we ran away from home. We have shared every major moment in life, either in person or on the phone. We used to pray for our girls to find a friendship like ours.
This has always been an unbelivable friendship. We had a code for writing notes in school and once a few years ago I sent her a card using little footprints as the signature, she knew immediately who it was from, her husband couldn’t believe it. As we grew into adulthood so did our friendship. We stopped talking on the phone everyday, stopped seeing each other every weekend and we allowed our lives to happen. She raised three beautiful daughters, one that was named for me. I have one daughter who is named Mindy….Mo and Cindy=Mindy, that was in 1973 before the tv program Mork and Mindy. We thought we had just made it up.
Our lives have taken different paths at times. Oh the stories I could tell. We sometimes haven’t spoken for over a year at a time. Yet this person is the reason I understand what true friendship is. It is about always being there. Dropping everything when you need to. It’s about undying loyalty. Sympathy, Empathy, Love and Support. Keeping that Secret. Holding that Hand. Helping wherever and whenever. It’s about listening. And hearing. It’s about understanding and forgiveness. All of my other “best friends” owe her a debt of gratitude, as she has taught me the meaning of friendship.
We survived the birth of our children our marriages and divorces our remarriages. We have buried our Fathers together and look after our Mothers. Years ago I sold some land to her and her husband. It was the property next to my parents, and in exchange I asked, (as she is a nurse) if they would watch over my parents when I was away. I was in Illinois the day my Father died. She was there. She went with my Mother to the hospital and then stayed with her until I got there the next day. She spent the night with my Mom, she would not leave until I got there. What do you say to someone like that…I Love You, but it doesn’t cover it.
I talked to her last Saturday as she celebrated yet another birthday…her request….39 candles. In 40 years we have never lost sight of our lifelong committment to each other. So my Slice of Life is not so much about the meeting but more about the meaning. I love you, my friend.
FOOTNOTE: I sent a copy of this to my friend and this was her reply:
Thank you for sharing this wonderful story! I have shared mine as well, but feel like I should write another, as I have a best friend much like yours. We were Gillespie and Griffin in school, but the rest of the story matches almost perfectly. I hope to read more of your Slices, as I really enjoy your writing style.
~Hi Val, Thanks for stopping by. I loved your story as well. It was like the date that never ended! I am sure we will be reading each other often!……Mo~~
What a beautiful story.
Xandra
~~Thanks, Xandra I am glad you enjoyed it!…..Mo~~
This was such a beautiful tribute to such a beautiful friend. Having known Cindy, although not as well as you, I do know what a simply wonderful person she is. She is everything you have described and it is easy to see why the two of you became such good friends, because you are every bit as wonderful as she is. And I am thankful for Cindy teaching you “the meaning of friendship” as I am even more thankful to be included in your list of best friends. Great post and a very sweet “slice of life.”
~~Why Cricket, You make me blush! sigh. She is the sweetest ever. Thank you for all the kind words! Hugs!…….Mo~~
What a lovely story of your special long-term friendship. I’ve had trouble with this Slice of Life prompt because, like you, my close friends are few … and many of them no longer live nearby. Thank you for sharing your experience and I’m delighted to know you’re blessed with such a friend.
Hugs and blessings,
~~This friend has always been a blessing to me and I consider myself lucky to have found her. I keep hoping one of the prompts will appeal to you, you are such a wonderful writer and poet, I love reading you! Hugs!………………….Mo~~
Mo, this is absolutely beautiful and very touching. Made me tingle all over.
HUGS~
~~Phyl, you are just too sweet! Hugs!……….Mo~~
What a tribute to your friend. No wonder your she was sitting there at 6am with tears in her eyes. Just reading it made tears flow. You are so blessed to have had such a friend in your life. I also have been blessed with a friend such as this. We have climbed mountains and walked through dark valleys together for almost 35 years.
I read your comment on my AS post and no, I didn’t receive the email about the AS carnival. If you could send it again or post it in the comment section of my blog, I would be most grateful.
Blessings to you for a wonderful day.
Mary
~~How wonderful that you too are blessed with such a friendship! I resent that email and also left a link in comments on your blog. I hope you have a grand day as well HUGS!…………………Mo~~
What a lovely post. What a lovely tribute to a great friend. Excellent. Have a great day.
~~Thanks Sandee, she deserves much tribute. I am glad you enjoyed it Hugs!………….Mo~~
I do not have many close friends,some who were turned out to be backstabbers,and one was even worse that that,and that is all I’ll saw about that one.so I keep people at arms lenght.I have a heck of a lot of friends but only a select few I would say are close ones. when I say I have a lot of friends,they are one ones I have never met in person,they are of course my blogging friends and neighbors. True friends are friends indeed.my friend Irv is such a person,I will always treasure him for as long as I live,the second friend is my great lady my Mrs G. she has been my friend,lover,wife,and my support system.,as I try to be for her.
~~Hi Mike you are truely and richly blessed to have such a spouse! Have a great day!…………..Mo~~
Your slice of life is beautiful!
There are details that I would never have remembered…LOL
On my slice of life my BF did the same, said she cried when she read and just loved it.
I like making people smile
It’s rare to have someone to share with and its good we don’t take it for granted.
That is gratitude
~~ Hi Jen, I couldn’t agree more! I enjoyed your Slice this week as well. You are richly blessed to have had your friend so long! I will look forward to reading your Slice this coming week!………….Mo~~
What a beautiful story. I am so glad you have a friend like that. Have a great afternoon.
Love and Hugs,
Joyce
~~Hi Joyce, I am so lucky! Hope you have been enjoying our new found spring weather! Hugs & Kisses……….Mo~~