Best Friend

The first time I became aware of her was in the 8th grade. It was my second day at the new middle school, in the new state. We had moved to our new city about a month before and it was culture shock to me. We had lived in a very white, military community, in Connecticut. My class knew one girl who's first language was Spanish and we were blown away by it. We all thought it was so cool. 

The poor girl was constantly asked, "How do you say (insert curse word here) in Spanish?"

My first day at this new school, I found myself seated between 3 different languages, not knowing a single word. I was floored. There were kids of all racial backgrounds at this new school. I wasn't afraid, I just wished all the kids at my old school could hear what I was hearing.

The following day was a half day of elective classes. This was a year round school which meant we went to school for three months, had a month off, and Wednesdays were half days. We got to choose two elective classes to go to on Wednesdays. I choose drama and some other class that I can't recall. 

It was in drama class that I first saw who would become my best friend for the next couple of decades  and counting. Each of us had to get up on stage and tell the audience a little about ourselves. You could become another character if you liked. You could just be yourself. You could have fun with it.

I don't know what I said. Probably something about moving to California from Connecticut, that I was a new kid. I was probably terrified and my stomach was most likely in knots. Sweating. Sweating profusely. Public speaking is not my strong point. I try to avoid it at all costs as an adult. 

 I do remember almost everything about my friend. She wore tie dyed socks and Birkenstocks. She wore jeans and a Pearl Jam t-shirt. She got up on stage and acted as Kurt Cobain. She looked at the floor and mumbled about depression and music. 

I thought it was strange and funny and I knew I really wanted to be her friend. That was 24 years ago. We don't talk on the phone as much as we used to. We still text each other almost every day. She's getting married sometime this year.