Tuesday, May 02, 2006

A tale of two friends

Holly and I technically met in 8th grade, but it was in 10th grade, when we were actually at the same school, that we became friends. It was an autumn day, during soccer season, and the night before one of the girls on the soccer team had had a birthday party. The talk in the student lounge that day was all about who got drunk and what crazy things they did while intoxicated. Of the whole soccer team (which didn't have tryouts or cuts, so most of us were on it), we were among the approximately four girls not invited to said party. So, amid the din of the gossip, I asked her if she'd like to get together that weekend. Not to drink or dance naked on tables in front of boys, just to hang out.

She came over, and the highlights of the afternoon and evening included a very enthusiastic leaf fight, my cat puking under Holly's chair at the dinner table, and me laughing so hard I wet my pants. After those last two, I thought for sure she was no longer wondering why I hadn't been invited to that birthday party. I wouldn't have been surprised if she had asked the headmaster to change her class schedule around just to avoid being near me. But instead, she invited me to her house.


The two pals on top of East Rock, with Long Island Sound in the background.

Since then, we have written thousands of pages of notes to each other, discovered the laughing position,* gone camping, discovered Yorkshire together, been known to devour a whole box of Girl Scout cookies in 10 minutes when stressed, made a really weird joint art project, somehow made it through college and grad school, gotten married to two wonderful men (I swear, when I first met her husband, I thought I was suddenly discovering I had an extra brother), and had lots of leaf fights. It's been much harder for us to meet up since we finished high school, and before this weekend, it had been nearly two years since our last visit together, but each time we talk on the phone or see each other in person, it's as if no time has passed. I wish everyone could have the kind of lasting and deep a friendship we do.

The short version? It was a great visit, and an awesome weekend. And I'm so glad that she and her husband finally met Taz! Oh, and she wants to (re)learn to knit...

*No, this is nothing dirty. We just realized one day that if you start laughing while lying on your back with your knees folded and your feet in the air, it's really really hard to stop. Pants wetting may ensue. Or at the very least, shortness of breath.

6 comments:

Lauren said...

Okay, seems like a good enough reason to skip the CT S&W.

Lía said...

Las amistades hechas en la adolescencia siempre son las mejores...a la mayoría de mis mejores amigas las conozco por lo menos desde hace 15 años (jeje y no soy tan mayor!!).
Me alegro de que lo pasaras bien, besos guapa!

Zarzuela said...

Thanks for the warning about the pants wetting. ;)

Jessica

Jules said...

The best friends are those accidental ones. The ones that weren't meant to be, that just happened. :)

Lolita Blahnik said...

Que bueno tener amigas asi!!! justo la semana pasada mis amiguill@s y yo estabamos comentando que el proximo año hara 10 años que nos conocemos... y tan contentos!!

Suess said...

Fun visit and great grand canyon photos! I added your link to my blog...but I haven't figured out the cute little buttons yet...one thing at a time...didn't you mention obsessions...maybe it's a knitter thing!