My Best Friend

I’ve known Kathryn since the second grade. We weren’t friends back then: in fact, she thought I was weird (I still am). It wasn’t until junior high that we became best friends.

I remember sitting at the end of the hall every lunch hour, eating ice cream sundaes and playing Speed – a very fast-paced card game. We’d both get so wound up that we’d just basically end up with tears streaming down our faces because we were laughing so hard. I’m sure the sundaes helped emensely.

I never quite understood why she liked me; we were so different in character. I was the shy one – never going out to parties or skipping classes. Kathryn was more adventurous, and I have to say she was always getting into trouble. Her mother had hopes that my influence would tame her down a bit, but I can’t say that ever happened.

We stayed close all the way through grade school and on into adulthood. I went to a trade school down in Arizona and she joined the Air Guard. We both got married, and then divorced. She remarried and had two wonderful children, while I remained single. Our busy lives have caused us to drift apart a little bit, but I still consider her my best friend.

She and her family recently moved out of state – to New York, actually. It’s a good move for her, but I have to admit I miss my friend.

She recently came up for a visit, however. Her whole family is still here, and she came up as a surprise for her sister’s 50th birthday party. Her kids came with her, so they spent about two weeks visiting family and friends both here in town and out in the Valley where she grew up.

I got to see her twice while she was here! The first time was when she dropped her kids off at the mall for an afternoon spent with their friends. She came over to my house and sat at my table with a cup of tea to visit for a good two hours. The second time she again dropped her kids off at the mall, but this time she and I went shopping ourselves. Apparently her new home in New York is small enough that there really isn’t any good shopping there.

Who knows; maybe someday I’ll head down there to visit her!