A Friend Is A Friend....Forevah!

Today has just been one of those days! Feeling a little bit under the weather for the past two days....so I didn't officially work....but unofficially worked from home. So...I had a better part of the day just thinking about people. Friends...Family...but certain BFF's that have been in my life for a very long time. One in particular that I have has since 5th grade! Yes....I said 5th grade! Her name is Susan! From the 5th grade all the way through the 12th grade...we were best friends! She was Laverne and I was Shirley....we use to sing the song....really we did!

If you have a moment...I will give you just a glimpse of our friendship! It really started in the 6th grade because in the 5th grade I was new to the school and we weren't in the same homeroom. But 6th grade is where it all began....and 7th grade we ended up in the same homeroom.

It was the year that "Welcome Back Kotter" came on. If you can remember the show...it was about kids that acted up in a classroom...but somehow they had this teacher that seemed to get his point across ...and as bad as they hated school.....he kept them coming! This is the year that Susan and I had our first male teacher....Mr. Herring! He was the epitomy of good looks and had a great personality.....we loved him. And .....I ain't one to brag....but he called us "his girlz"! We had him hook...line and sinker. Especially Sue Sue cuz she was "Large and In Charge" with her girlz all nice and perky! Not to mention her smooth, honey, silky complexion with a smile to light up the room! I was just ok....but kind of plain jane with blue eyes....I always had the cutest clothes because my Mom made them all and no one else had anything like them!

One day we disappointed him when...one of us...didn't study.....and the other one helped the other one out....just a little on a spelling test! I am not saying....who did what!!! I'm just sayin....we both were guilty as charged. He slammed the book down on our desk and we both stared at him in shame...well...I was crying by the end of his speech! I don't know if that permanently bonded us forever....but I think it did something!

Fast foward....through many teachers and many grades....Susan and I were inseparable! She always had the boyfriends and I always wanted A boyfriend! Susan could walk into a room and "Own" it. Her head held high....she would always say...." Debi ...just keep your head up high and walk straight ahead and don't look at anybody"! This was Her entrance ...and it always....Worked! Yes...I did learn a lot from her.

I lived out in the "sticks" and she lived in the city....therefore on many weekends...I had my own special twin bed in her room! Did I mention that she loves to NAP.....20 minutes and Susan is ready to get up and start back all over again! Her mother, Margaret.....treated me like her own and always made it over to my church just to hear me sing! Never once did she miss a play...or song that I would sing! And trust me....she was of the Methodist faith and my parents were "Pentecostal" ...so this wasn't the most easiest thing to sit through! She did love our music though. She treated me like her own and I will always love and remember her with a smile! I really miss me some Margaret James....she was one of a kind!

Fast forward to Senior year. Did you see the movie "Wedding Crashers" with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson? That movie was based on our life. We would take a ride into Memphis on Saturday nights and hit every church on Poplar Avenue that had cars in the parking lot. Why you ask? Cuz we wanted to see a wedding? I am not kidding.....we did this WAY BACK IN THE DAY!

I tell you all of this for one reason. From time to time....friends will agree to disagree on one thing or another....but Susan and I never really did....EVER! She would have an opinion and then convince me on her opinion and then it would be my opinion! A few years back.....I disagreed probably for the first time in my life with something that was said....and like that.....we hung up and haven't talked since. Can we say...TIME WASTED!

So much has happened during that time to her and to me.....and we've missed sharing it together. I say that because of this...Life is just too short to let something like a disagreement take root and cause bitterness between life long friends! I miss my friend terribly. I have had conversations with her in my dreams and finally came to the conclusion today that even if she didn't respond back to me....I felt something pulling me to reach back out to her! So thankfully she still had the same cell phone number and I decided to text her since I was to scared to leave her a message in fear of rejection.

So....I did it! I texted her and to my surprise....she texted me back....saying that she would call me tomorrow at noon! So.....why do I say all of this to my Soul Sista's? Because....if something ever happened to either one of us.....I know we would both be literally sick with regret for letting something really stupid get in the way of a lifelong friendship.

Did you ever hear the phrase....."you can count on one hand your TRUE FRIENDS....and still have one finger not sticking up". Well I know I have friends and plenty of aquaintances....but a TRUE BFF...no.....they are on one hand.....or at least in my world it is! If you would like to say AMEN....feel free....but no comments are even necessary....only if you want to....but I can't wait to talk to my friend...I just hope I can keep it together!

Stay tuned for my next post on why Susan and I hate "Clowns"!

Love to you Sista's!

Debi