The last time I saw her was graduation night.
24 years ago.
We weren’t great friends but were friends that would easily and comfortably slip into conversation. We had been that kind of friends since kindergarten. From grade school changes to the angst of junior and senior high. We were fringe friends.
In 5th grade we beat up Chris by the ranger station. He was a creepy kid who would pinch our asses and say crude things to us on the playground. He was ugly and had an ugly personality. We beat him up because we knew that there was no other way to get him to stop. And we knew he would never tell. What 11-year-old boy would ever admit to being beat up by a girl?
We were friends like that.
We found people to buy us booze and we would drink it behind the mall. It was always something nasty like sloe gin, spiced rum, peppermint schnapps, Mad Dog 20/20. Shit that would take paint off of a car. We NEVER had mixers, it was always straight and fast. I shudder at the thought. We always had early curfews so we did this early with hopes of sobering up before our parents came to get us. We never got caught.
24 years ago.
We all went our separate ways. We have had 2 reunions since graduation. At the 10 year reunion, people were still acting like it was high school. The cliques were the same, the people were the same. We learned who was married, who had kids, who were divorced, who was gay. There was only one that surprised me.
I did not attend the 20 year reunion. I was at a soccer tournament with my son. I have priorities and those don’t include old memories. I got shit about it but I didn’t care. All I would do is see who had gotten fat, wrinkly and be thankful I am who I am. And yes…laugh. The holier than thou cheerleader who now weighs 300 lbs? Worth hours of laughter. The stuck up football player who is now bald? Cue ball jokes abound.
24 years later.
Facebook is wonderful and terrible at the same time. Terrible because you can still see the cliques acting the same bullshitty way they used to. Wonderful because you can once again reconnect with those you wish you hadn’t lost.
24 years later.
I am on my way to the East Coast for work and will be an hour away from Deb. We have been talking on FB since we both joined. We have read about family joys, surgeries and have even encouraged each other. We have seen changes in our houses with each remodel project.
Slipping back into the easy conversations.
I always promised her that I would look her up if I was in the area. So we start making plans for dinner. We agree on the day. As the day nears, I find myself getting excited to see her. But also worried.
What if it’s different in real life? What if it’s just a facade and once we meet again, the conversation dies?
24 years later.
She calls me, I get her address. She just had a procedure on her neck and can’t drive, so I will pick her up. She has a beautiful home filled with pets. She also has 5 kids! 3 of them are out of the house already but 2 are still at home.
We go to dinner to a place that is her favorite.
We slip into easy conversation. We talk about our lives now and then. Learning more about each other. We realized that over the years, we have grown more alike we were back then. She went to the 20 year reunion and told me all about it. She said she wished she never would have gone. The cliques were still there. After 20 years you would think they would have grown. Grown up, grown on and become better people. After all, isn’t that what people should do? Grow.
Deb tells me that she quit smoking with my encouragement. Every time she felt the urge she would re-read a message I sent her encouraging her to quit. You see, my mom passed away from lung cancer. I know the effects this has on a family and I did not want her to put her kids through that. I am glad I was able to do that one small thing for a friend.
Time passes by. We hadn’t realized how long we were there talking.
4 hours.
4 hours of talking and laughing. There was never a pause in conversation.
When we both realized that they were cleaning the dining room, we checked our watches. It was getting late and I still had an hour and a half drive back to my hotel.
We part ways with promises that it won’t take 24 years to meet up again.
Hugs abound.
Promises made.
We WILL meet again.
Just not 24 years into the future.
Soon, very soon.
I'm a Sassy Blonde 