Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Friendship Chronicles

Do you ever wish that friendships were immortalized in the same way that The New York Times writes about marriages?

Maybe I should back up and explain.

When I was younger, I remember reading a wedding profile in the Times that was so charming that it has stuck with me for many years. I remember that the groom met the bride when she stole his toast (the last slice of sourdough) from the toaster of their dining hall and he went to confront her about it.

I suddenly thought about this article when I had date night with the best friend last night. We were trying to remember the exact moment that we slapped the "best friend" label on things. There was no real conclusion that we came to but instead we rehashed the details of our first few years as apparent enemies and then unlikely pals.

What if everyone decided that long-lasting best friendships were more important than impending nuptials? I would love to see journalists spending their time chronicling the first times that buddies hung out without their parents at home or whom tucked who in when one of them had a little too much to drink.

Do any of you ever replay these moments in your head?

I know I remember the first time Lauren and I became friendly. I caught up to her on the street after class and I told her that I really liked her outfit and then we walked home together and we sat on my couch until I had to leave for German class.

I remember some of the outfits people were wearing the first time I saw them. I remember the black Converse high tops and the worn out T-shirt or the blouse with a mountain range across it and the red leather sandals. I never actually know if these moments are going to be significant or not. I guess my mind just stores the information away anyways.

If any of you have friendship stories like these, please consider leaving them in the comments. I want to know that I'm not the only person that finds these moments important.

1 comment:

  1. Lisa (2nd grade) Me (3rd grade): I was walking home from school (yeah, back then 10 year olds were 'safe' enough to walk home alone) passing by the playground on Memorial drive (behind Bentley School). At the time, I was dreaming of being an olympic gymnast. I saw a girl turning cartwheels in the park, walked over to her and simply joined in. We were pleased to learn that, coincidently (or not so coincidently) she and her family had just moved in to the house across the street from me! Best friends until marriage and kids took her miles and miles away.....(still love her and keep in touch of course)
    Lisa #2: SHS music wing...in various classes (chorus, orchestra, drama) classmates would approach me asking if I was Lisa S's sister. I did not know a Lisa S. At the same time, people were asking her the same question "are you Kim's sister"?
    Finally, one day the "pop rock chorus" was formed and the teacher was calling attendance.
    When he read our names aloud, we both swiveled our heads 360° like an owl trying to spot this "sister" everyone kept talking about.
    We have been best friends for over 30 years. Actually, sisters.

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