Ode to Bethie
I read an article today about meeting and maintaining friendships in our busy, busy world. It was aimed at women but I'm sure men could have gleamed gems from it as well.
It got me to thinking...I don't keep in touch much with my friends. In facct, I have very few friends. Close connections with those who really know me. I may not talk to my nearest and dearest but they're always in my heart.
One of them, bethie8888, is moving across the country in just a few short weeks. She's following her heart and in the bargain she's going to have one helluva adventure. She loves that. It's the true purpose of her life, in my opinion. She's probablly the most sensual person I know. And I don't mean that in a sexy way. She takes in everything around her and she sees the innate beauty. She could be knee deep in cow shit yet she wouldn't care. She'd still find the pony. I rarely see her. We rarely talk. And even tho we live in the electronic age, we rarely email. That hasn't seemed to matter.
We've known each other for almost twenty years. We can thank the International Order of Rainbow for Girls for brining us together. We didn't know each other very well at that time but when I got to SJSU, I knocked on her dormitory room door and we were inseparable from that point onward. I spent all my time with her in her dorm. I think my suite mates thought I had disappeared. We decided it would be a great idea to become roommates. So we requested a transfer for the Spring semester. She chose that time to move in with her boyfriend and I never saw her. I got back at her in my passive aggressive way by taking over the entire room. I took down all her photos and shoved them in her desk drawer. I pushed the beds together to make just one bed. This caused one of our biggest fights. The whole floor heard us and I think some of them were taking bets on who would win.
Eventually, she and I became roommates in the real world. Her and her boyfriend and I rented a house off of Capital Expressway. San Ramon Drive. The House on the Hill. It had the best hottub and we had some of the greatest hot tub parties. I loved living with her. She was there for me when I truly needed her. We were living together during the summer of my discontent. My life fell apart. I lost who I was. I cried on her shoulder so many times that summer. When she no longer knew how to deal with me or the situation, she presented me with an ultimatum...because I was so fucked up and way too proud, I bailed on her. And on us. I not only lost me that summer but I lost her as well. As I look back on it now, I think we were destined to go our separate ways. I let her down. I've always thought that she saw something in me that summer that she never expected to find in me. and it scared her.
Luckily, we found our way back to each other. It took time but we managed. Thank the Universe! At some point, I think I developed a gigantic crush on her. We've only ever shared one kiss and that was this past NYE.
The funniest thing she ever said to me was, "This is an awfully small boat." Granted, I was high at the time and it was in response to my comment, "I'm feeling very sexual at the moment." But it's stayed with me and I'll never forget it. It will never cease to make me smile when I think of it.
I love her. I will always love her. I will miss her when she goes.
It got me to thinking...I don't keep in touch much with my friends. In facct, I have very few friends. Close connections with those who really know me. I may not talk to my nearest and dearest but they're always in my heart.
One of them, bethie8888, is moving across the country in just a few short weeks. She's following her heart and in the bargain she's going to have one helluva adventure. She loves that. It's the true purpose of her life, in my opinion. She's probablly the most sensual person I know. And I don't mean that in a sexy way. She takes in everything around her and she sees the innate beauty. She could be knee deep in cow shit yet she wouldn't care. She'd still find the pony. I rarely see her. We rarely talk. And even tho we live in the electronic age, we rarely email. That hasn't seemed to matter.
We've known each other for almost twenty years. We can thank the International Order of Rainbow for Girls for brining us together. We didn't know each other very well at that time but when I got to SJSU, I knocked on her dormitory room door and we were inseparable from that point onward. I spent all my time with her in her dorm. I think my suite mates thought I had disappeared. We decided it would be a great idea to become roommates. So we requested a transfer for the Spring semester. She chose that time to move in with her boyfriend and I never saw her. I got back at her in my passive aggressive way by taking over the entire room. I took down all her photos and shoved them in her desk drawer. I pushed the beds together to make just one bed. This caused one of our biggest fights. The whole floor heard us and I think some of them were taking bets on who would win.
Eventually, she and I became roommates in the real world. Her and her boyfriend and I rented a house off of Capital Expressway. San Ramon Drive. The House on the Hill. It had the best hottub and we had some of the greatest hot tub parties. I loved living with her. She was there for me when I truly needed her. We were living together during the summer of my discontent. My life fell apart. I lost who I was. I cried on her shoulder so many times that summer. When she no longer knew how to deal with me or the situation, she presented me with an ultimatum...because I was so fucked up and way too proud, I bailed on her. And on us. I not only lost me that summer but I lost her as well. As I look back on it now, I think we were destined to go our separate ways. I let her down. I've always thought that she saw something in me that summer that she never expected to find in me. and it scared her.
Luckily, we found our way back to each other. It took time but we managed. Thank the Universe! At some point, I think I developed a gigantic crush on her. We've only ever shared one kiss and that was this past NYE.
The funniest thing she ever said to me was, "This is an awfully small boat." Granted, I was high at the time and it was in response to my comment, "I'm feeling very sexual at the moment." But it's stayed with me and I'll never forget it. It will never cease to make me smile when I think of it.
I love her. I will always love her. I will miss her when she goes.