An old friend from high school recently contacted me. She (Willow) was one of my closest friends. We were a trio, though the third (Jennifer) I still have not seen or contacted in many years. Unfortunate events tore us apart our junior year of high school, when Jennifer was sent off to a school/program in Waco, TX – the circumstances surrounding her disappearance are still enough to choke me up! Just thinking about it has caused a lump to perch in my throat – I feel like I could cry!! I soon found out where she was, and began calling her and writing her letters. By the time she came back, we had graduated and were preparing to leave for college. That’s when our separation began. At least, the separation that was under our control. Those out of our control (i.e., Jen’s disappearance) were just the beginning of it all. But that is in the past.
Willow and Jen remained in contact and the best of friends after high school graduation. I left for college, and when I did, I left Terrell behind me. I still saw people from time to time for the first couple of years, but conversations with old friends became few and far between, and so here I sit today, having no childhood friends from Terrell remaining.
Until recently, that is. Willow contacted me about three weeks ago. We talked by email some, and a bit by phone, and then decided to get together for dinner this past Friday night. I got to the restaurant a half hour early, so I thought it would be a good idea for me to sit in my car for 15 minutes before going inside. While I was standing in line to put our name on the list, I noticed a beautiful (and somehow familiar) young woman standing further inside the lobby. She was watching her son, and glancing toward the door. I noticed she was staring at me, and I was embarrassed because I had been caught staring at her. Then I realized that the beautiful young woman was Willow! She looked just the same, but a bit different, too.
Our conversation at the restaurant was good – both of us just trying to figure out all over again who the other person is. It was almost like meeting someone for the first time, except we had a tiny bit more foundation. (I say only a tiny bit, because we haven’t seen or talked to each other in 8 ½ years – and a lot can happen in a person’s life in that amount of time! Enough to change the person entirely!)
Toward the end of the dinner, Willow and I were talking, when I randomly glanced at her son (he’s 3 and super-cute, so I couldn’t help looking at him often!) and saw something both liquid-like and chunky coming out of both corners of his mouth. Willow glanced at my face and suddenly stopped talking. She looked over at Trevor just in time for him to lock these huge, puppy dog eyes with her as he opened his mouth and starting vomiting!! He ate salad, breadsticks, and macaroni & cheese for dinner – and we saw it all! While Willow was busy being a mom, cleaning him up and such (and I was trying to resemble someone who is somewhat helpful in such an uncontrollable situation), my untimely gag-reflex appeared. Those of you who know me well may know that anytime I see vomit or see someone in the process of, I too will start to gag. I’d like to call it the “sympathy gag.” So Trevor is throwing up, Willow’s cleaning him up, I’m gagging and laughing (because it's so ridiculous that I'm having this reaction) and unrolling napkins to give to Willow, and the waiter comes to check on us. He didn’t stay for long, but did send the manager to us, who cleared the table. A few minutes later, Trevor announced that he felt better, ate some ice cream, and then we left.
Willow asked me if I wanted to come back to her apartment and talk a bit longer, and I thought it was too short of an evening and there was still so much to talk about, so I happily agreed. I ended up staying at her apartment until 2 am. And when I left, I was sad to go (though very sleepy) and yet ecstatic about our new friendship. We talked about so many things – God, Religions, Politics, Movies, Our families, and more. It was such a delightful evening, and I am anxious for the next time we can get together!
