This is a line I once uttered to my friend Lauren when our bus driver forgot her bus stop (AGAIN!) and I decided she could make it to gymnastics if she got off at my house and my mom dropped her at her house. This was before cell phones. And, obviously, before we were 16. In fact, I think we were 13.
When I was 14, Brittany and I were both on the soccer teams, and even though she was on varsity and I wasn’t, we would always, always sit on the bus together.
When I was 16, and Kelly was 15, she asked if she could back my car up in my driveway. I said, “Sure!” She ran over a solar light. Whoops.
Every few years, my girlfriends and I try to convene somewhere and hang out. Lately, it’s been in my neck of the woods — whether those woods be Boston or LA! Lauren (see below) is already here, and my other ladies Kelly and Brittany get here tonight. Our other girls, Alex and Erin, will be SORELY missed.
Here are some photographs from our previous escapades — I am so excited and so blessed to be having friends who I’ve known and loved for over a DECADE coming to visit me.
I don’t know what is happening in this photo.
But this is what happened next.
The last time these girls came to see me, I lived in Boston. We went out to dinner, and I forgot my pen in the restaurant. The waiter (who dealt with our loud and ridiculous behavior) ran after us, saying, “Excuse me, ma’am, I think you left your pen.” A minute later, he came out again, with Britty’s purse, and said, “Excuse me, ma’am, I think you left your purse.” We. are. a. mess.
I cannot wait for all three of you to be here, all together, again. I love you oodles. 🙂
Back in the day, when I was a child, my family and I went to a few runs of the Lilith Fair. We are big fans of Ms. Sarah McLachlan. She is kind of a theme song player in our house. We also love Sheryl Crow, and other ladies who sing their hearts out at festivals (I’m looking at you, Lisa Loeb.) We went two years in a row with a slew of people: the Breens, my cousin Lauren, my cousin Jimmy. etc. The next year we changed the cast of characters, and then that was that. Then we moved to Michigan in April of 1999 and Lilith was just a memory of my past. I remember that one year my best friend Lauren went too, with her Dad and sister. We found each other at breaks, and walked around together (we were sitting on the lawn, they were sitting in seats.) It was one of the first times that I was trusted to go find a friend by myself — I must have been 11 or 12, and I remember finally feeling like I was growing up. I remember my cousin Jimmy told a girl that she had nice wings. She said thanks, danced in a circle, and went on her enchanted way. Mya was at the Lilith Fair one of my two times, and she sang a few of her songs, and then tap danced for like 10 minutes. It stood out in my memory as a moment when I realized some people, even famous people, have talents they don’t always share with the public.
The Breens were on board, because they are generally awesome like that, and plans were made: Lilith Fair, Chicago 2010. Almost-Family Reunion Tour. So tonight I fly to Chicago, to see my sorella and my mom, and my dad, and the Breens, to see Sarah and other woman who know how to rhyme and make me sway. I will be there for less than 48 hours, but it will be worth it. Line up includes:
