OLD FRIENDS, NO WRINKLES

There's nothing like old friends.

No, you're mistaken!

More like....

I have four friends that I've kept in contact with since my early twenties:  16, 20, 21 and 21-TWO.  All five of us, together, and in every combination, are friends.

Alas, 16 is out in Colorado and 21 now resides in New Jersey.  Poo!  So...it's Facebook and Phone-Tag with those two.  There are the occasional visits...a California visit...another California visit...and another California visit.  Colorado and New Jersey are owed a visit...maybe two...maybe three!

HEY!

Trip?

High school math class is where I met 16.  Instant connection.  Nice girl.  I didn't get to know her, though, until late-teens-early-twenties.  I cherish her.  She's...

                                                                                    

                             
                                                              
....a good listener!

I met 20 when I worked part-time at Robinson's.  You remember.  The Robinson's to Robinson's-May to May Co. to Macy's to Walmart-in-the-near-future-probably Robinson's.  20 is the anchor of the group.  She's the one who started it all.  She's...


                                                                                                    

                                                          
...a good listener! 

A bridal shower is where I met 21.  Her bridal shower. Exactly why I ended up at a bridal shower of a girl that I didn't even know, I don't really know!  But we became fast friends.  She's the baby.  She's...

...a good listener!


21-TWO and I met through 20 and 21.  I probably met her at 21's bridal shower...the bachelorette party...and the wedding...but where I really got to know her was a girl trip to San Francisco...long car rides, hotel rooms, dancing 'til dawn/sleeping 'til noon. She's....

                                                                                            

...a good listener!
                                                                     

We've been together through lovers, boyfriends, husbands, 5 weddings (once a bride, twice a bridesmaid and the other two commander of the dance floor), 9 babies, 8 teenagers, 5 colleges.....and no funerals.

Despite the fact that we've all been in different stages of our lives at different times, we keep in touch.   I don't know that we've necessarily been through thick and thin together.  But we certainly talk a lotta thick and thin...sometimes conceal a lotta thick and thin...and always, eventually, reveal a lotta thick and thin.  


When do you suppose we get this talkin' and concealin' and revealin' done...???

BIRTHDAYS!!!!  

We've celebrated birthdays for over 20 years now...with whoever is in town.  Each one of our birthdays gives us the opportunity for venting and bitching and current event-ing and laughing and laughing and advising and laughing and...sometimes crying; depending on the stage of life we're in or what time of the month we're at.
                                                   ....and we like cake!
                                                                             
                    

Evening Agenda 

6:30 pm
Meet and Greet/Take a Seat

6:35 pm
Compliments on Hair, Clothing, Skin or Weight

6:45 pm
How was the day?  How was the week?

7:00 pm
(new to the agenda)
Granny Glasses On

7:02 pm
Check out menu/order

7:30 pm
Eat

7:40
Freestyle Chat

8:30
CAKE

9:00
Pay
and
Piss off the waiter and don't leave 'til 11

What I love about old friends is we never seem to age. We look just the same.  No Wrinkles.  Why?
Maybe because we see each other pretty consistently over the years?  Maybe we remind each other of our youth?  Maybe by now we only recognize our souls, not our physical?  Good face cream?  Botox?  Or, simply, because we choose restaurants with good lighting!  Yep...I think I'll go there.

Good Lighting...No Wrinkles.

This past weekend was another birthday. 
Happy Birthday 21-TWO!
Location:  P.F. Chang's: Good Lighting! No Wrinkles!
Table for 3: 21-TWO, 20 and Me.

Compliments begin.  20, great hair!  Me, cute dress!  Yet, the prize goes to 21-TWO.  She looks shiny and happy.  She really does.  Whether she truly is happy or she just got herself some awesome sex, we don't know, but she looks f-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c!

Booby prize goes to 20 who wins "most stressful day, most stressful week."  She still has good hair.

"The waiter!   Girls, Quick Draw those Granny Glasses!!!  and...One, Two, Three..."

Won Ton Soup!
Lettuce Wraps!
Kung Pao Scallops!
Mahi Mahi!

and......Diet Cokes all around!  Phew!  Record time.  7:01, right on schedule!

Business is taken care of and we start to catch up.  We learn about 21-TWO's job...they learn about my upcoming job status...we chat about 20's busy, busy life as a mom of a small child...something like my life...two lifetimes ago.  We eat.  We laugh.  We aren't current-eventing, though, this time.

The time has come.  More is revealed that has been concealed. It's been happening a lot lately.  Maybe it's our age.  Maybe it's because we can't hold it in any longer.  I think, particularly, it's because as years go by, we grow closer and closer together as we learn to trust one another as our guards come down.

Last Birthday, a secret was revealed. There was crying.
This Birthday, emotion is revealed... and there is crying.  This time...it's me. Crap!

The girls don't see this too often with me, if ever.  I well up. Not too many tears are shed to where I have to wipe my eyes with double-fists; however, just enough to where I have to lift one index finger up to the corner of the eye.....and I did.  The right eye.  The left eye.  Thank God I got it together just in time.  After all, we are in a restaurant...with good lighting.  I speak. They listen. We discuss.  They delicately challenge and advise. I feel refreshed. And not more than 20 minutes later, again, I was back to having a laugh.  We were all having a laugh.

I don't know what triggered this.  That's not true, I know.  I sure felt safe.  I had two friends sitting before me, listening, understanding, consoling, and feeling my sadness.  Not judging. They were truly my partners in those moments...my sad moments, moments I rarely share with anybody.

After having a laugh, for the rest of the night, and since, my contemplation and appreciation of friendship has been brought to a new level.  On this night, I found enlightenment in the meaning of friendship.   Furthermore, I recognize and am grateful that we accept each other, learn from each other, challenge each other, feel for each other, and, sometimes, maybe, because of our different experiences, we find a little adventure in living vicariously through each other.

It was time to say our goodbyes.  "We have to get together more."  We probably won't.  We have busy lives.  It's about the birthdays.  Our special time to look forward to.  I am very lucky that with every Birthday brings growth and love always with Old Friends...Good Friends...Soul Friends. 

And always with Good Lighting.....oh, and No Wrinkles!  

Ciao for now!
k