Past reminders ....

This past weekend I went to a baby shower for my best friend’s daughter.

I say best friend, but really, I can count the number of times we’ve actually spoken and/or seen each other in the last 20 years on one hand. 

It’s not that we no longer wanted to be friends; it’s just that life took us in totally different directions.

Hers took her to Florida, and mine kept me here.

We both got married.

We both had kids.

She moved back here and got divorced.

I moved to Florida and got re-married.

We moved in separate worlds.

When I moved back here, she was one of the first persons who contacted me.

We’ve gotten together a few times and have talked quite a bit.

She just graduated Veterinary School last year.

I’ve gone back for my EMT license and working on my teaching certificate.

We both have fantastic men that we love dearly.

Our lives aren’t as different as they were 20 years ago.

We’re similar to what we were, but not.

I know that in the past I have written about how I really have no desire to re-visit my past or the people in it, but sometimes, there are exceptions.

Terry is one of those exceptions.

We’ve known each other since we were 7 years old.

We were in Girl Scouts, went through elementary, middle and high school together,

Well, in truth, there were 3 of us; we were completely inseparable!

Myself, Terry & Louann.

2 brunettes and a red head.

We were all soooooooo different!

Terry was average height, model looks, model body and long legs.

Terry is the artist; she even has the moody temperament.

That girl has talent oozing from her fingertips!

Louann was tall, long legs, ginormous boobs and a heart to match.

Louann was the heavy metal bookkeeper who could have been the valedictorian.

She loved numbers, but even more than that, she became an accomplished carpenter.

Building things was her passion, and she was damn good at it!

I was the short red head with the hour glass shape.

All boobs & butt.

I was the enigma that no one could figure out or pigeon hole.

I did well in school, but not to my potential.

I was in the Modeling club, Rifle Team and Outdoor Ed.

I was goth, heavy metal, punk, prep.

We were all adventurous and experimental, just in different ways sometimes.

But, these 2 women and their families saved me.

They kept me from giving up and giving into the temptations of the streets.

There’s something calming about being able to recall past events with someone who knows you … inside and out.

Knows all the bullshit that was flung your way and that you stupidly trudged through.

It was like that when Terry & I were talking at the shower.

We both brought up different memories and we laughed, cried and in the end, we felt closer now than we have since we were 16.

Despite our differences, and we have many, we can still get to “that” place.

It was, by far, one of the most deeply intimate experiences I’ve had in a long while.

Regardless of what happens now, I know that we are, and always will remain, best friends.

So now, my best friend is about to become a Grandma.

I can’t even wrap my head around it ... we’re the same age!

GAH!!!!!

The shower itself was very nice, if you like those sorts of things.

Personally, I’m not a baby shower/wedding shower sort of person.

I understand the mother-to-be needs stuff.

Babies cost a fuckton of money.

It’s just not my thing.

It’s not about the giving of a gift or anything like that … I have no problems with that.

It’s a bunch of women sitting around “oohing” and “ahhing” and “OMG how cute is THAT?!” that makes me want to jam the cocktail forks into my eyes AND ears.

Oh, and 3 hours?

The only thing I want to be doing continuously for 3 hours is fucking Jack.

THEN there will be much “oohing” and “ahhing”.

Just at a much higher decibel.

There may even be a few “oh fuck YES!” in there as well.

*sigh*

Um, uh … what was I talking about again?

Oh yeah, the baby shower.

Like I said, it was nice.