That's What Friends Are For

Keep smilin', keep shinin'
Knowin' you can always count on me, for sure
That's what friends are for
For good times and bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for

I talked to an old friend on the phone last night and was immediately transported back in time about 20 or so years.  

We met in college.  We didn't have any classes together, but in the summer, I used to stay on campus and work in the mailroom and she worked in another department and would pick up mail for that department.  We started talking at the mailroom counter, which led to hanging out and talking on the phone.  That led to a decades old friendship.  

Making friends was so much easier in college.

We used to talk about everything and nothing.  First loves, first kisses, first times.

She was there when I fell in love for the first, second and third times.  (She wasn't there for the fourth, but I won't hold that against her.  I'd like to think that if she had been, the recovery time would have been shorter.)

She was there during first job interviews, first jobs and first cars.

She was there when I thought I was going to get married and would humor me and my stack of BRIDE magazines.

Then, I moved away from Marietta.

She got married and started a family.   I didn't.

We used to joke about how we were going to get married around the same time, have kids around the same time and have parallel lives.  Our kids would be friends.  Our spouses would be friends.  Our pets would be friends.

It didn't happen.  We lost touch.

It had been almost a decade since we last spoke and yet we picked right up like we hadn't stopped. 

Makes you appreciate the friends you have in life and the memories you make with those friends.

Also makes me long for a simpler time when driving around in a car listening to music, stopping for ice cream and talking worked everything out.