Jodie and Me
Whenever I think of my childhood, it comes in flashes. Little scenes that make up my life. A tableau of people and places in which there are a few constant threads. One of those threads is my best friend growing up, Jodie. We were inseperable. She the blonde mild mannered, well behaved beauty. Me the brunette, hot tempered, sneaky little shit. We balanced each other out pretty well. I can remember Kathryn (Jodie's mom, not me) and my mom sitting at our kitchen table watching Jodie and I wash our hands before dinner. My mom remarked on the different way we went about this. I was very quickly rubbing my hands together palm to palm Dr. Evil style, just trying to hurry up and get it over with so I could eat. Jodie was carefuly wringing them to get the soap in all the nooks and cranny's, very slowly and methodically, pensively and efficiently and with great care. The perfect metaphor for how we went on to live our lives. We drifted apart as a lot of childhood best friends do. High school brought different friends, different interests, and some conflicting beliefs. It makes me sad to think about it.
Two years ago, I was engaged to be married. It was a very strange time for my fiance and I. His mom was dying of cancer. We didn't know if she would make it to the wedding. It was heartbreaking to know that she was in pain and that we would lose her. It was difficult not to feel guilty about the happiness and anticipation I felt surrounding the pending wedding. The week before our wedding shower she took a turn for the worse. My husband went to Houston to MD Anderson cancer hospital to be with her. He was the only one of his siblings who was able to be there for those hellish days. I was aching to be there with them both, but I went to the party at his insistance. It was given by Jodie's mom and the mom of another of our childhood friends. I was not expecting Jodie to be there. She lives out of state now and rarely has the chance to come home. I was so touched, and surprised to see her walk through the door. Even all those years after we had lost regular touch, it was such a comfort to be around her at that time. It was like coming home, that warmth, that understanding which is saved for only those few people who knew you well as a child. My dad drove me down to Houston straight from the party. It was so surreal. I got there around midnight to finally put my arms around my fiance after his week of hell. His mom died the next day. It was three weeks before the wedding. With all of that upheaval and change, and heartbreaking saddness and guilty happiness going on all at once, I didn't make it a priority to tell Jodie how much it meant to me that she was there. And how much it meant that Kathryn and Nell Anne had honored my husband and I with the gift of that party.
Jodie became engaged last week. I am so happy for her. I'm nestolgic for the old times. I only hope that during this time in her life I can return to her some small fraction of what she gave to me two years ago.
Congratulations Jodie!!!! Love, Kathryn
Two years ago, I was engaged to be married. It was a very strange time for my fiance and I. His mom was dying of cancer. We didn't know if she would make it to the wedding. It was heartbreaking to know that she was in pain and that we would lose her. It was difficult not to feel guilty about the happiness and anticipation I felt surrounding the pending wedding. The week before our wedding shower she took a turn for the worse. My husband went to Houston to MD Anderson cancer hospital to be with her. He was the only one of his siblings who was able to be there for those hellish days. I was aching to be there with them both, but I went to the party at his insistance. It was given by Jodie's mom and the mom of another of our childhood friends. I was not expecting Jodie to be there. She lives out of state now and rarely has the chance to come home. I was so touched, and surprised to see her walk through the door. Even all those years after we had lost regular touch, it was such a comfort to be around her at that time. It was like coming home, that warmth, that understanding which is saved for only those few people who knew you well as a child. My dad drove me down to Houston straight from the party. It was so surreal. I got there around midnight to finally put my arms around my fiance after his week of hell. His mom died the next day. It was three weeks before the wedding. With all of that upheaval and change, and heartbreaking saddness and guilty happiness going on all at once, I didn't make it a priority to tell Jodie how much it meant to me that she was there. And how much it meant that Kathryn and Nell Anne had honored my husband and I with the gift of that party.
Jodie became engaged last week. I am so happy for her. I'm nestolgic for the old times. I only hope that during this time in her life I can return to her some small fraction of what she gave to me two years ago.
Congratulations Jodie!!!! Love, Kathryn
posted by Kathryn @ 7:30 PM
2 Comments:
At 9:43 AM,
Unknown said…
Congrats and Good Luck to Jodie!!
At 1:41 PM,
Anonymous said…
True friendships sail on despite rough seas!
Post a Comment
<< Home