I was 17 years old when we met. I fixed up my best friend with his best friend and we all double-dated a short while, then I friend-zoned him.
My mom always knew who I was talking to over the phone from my laughter. He was so funny, witty and smart and I loved that about him and I quickly learned I loved having him as my best friend.
He was the guy my boyfriends worried about and I was the girl who scrutinized his love interests, they worried about me. He was also the perfect person to get a male perspective off of as well as the latest and greatest tips he'd experienced with girls. We would meet for coffee, share, laugh and sometimes cringe.
I was the girl who he had been head over heels for at a young age and after that came a string of girls and relationships that struggled to live up to I think what I was to him.
I confess, we tried a couple of times to see if there was anything more than best friendship between us. Once upon a time, we made a pact that if we weren't married by the time we were 35 years old, we'd just have to marry each other.
He's 52 and I am 48.
Life happens.
Relationships happen.
Jealousy from both our partners and in quest to give peace of mind, we focused on our own relationships.
It's been about 5 years since I've heard or seen him.
About a month ago, he contacted me. In the past year he has battled colon cancer and I couldn't believe it.
He called me this morning and we met for lunch. Time is but a vapor and some friendships only need to simply catch up on the latest as if no time has passed.
He smells the same. The olfactory sense is a mystery and I remembered his scent. After a hello hug, we walked into the restaurant to get lunch and catch up with one another, when he made his 1st jab at me when I asked how long it has been? He remembers his role was to always be my memory. That goes back decades.
I love his wit and banter and it felt good to put all cards on the table in a no-filter needed conversation catching up on life, especially with someone who knew me from my youth. There is a history there that is already known.
After a year of radiation treatments, I wasn't so sure what to expect and I was careful that my facial expressions stayed stoic. He looks great and if you didn't know, you wouldn't know his battle of this last year.
He has slowed down a lot. Cancer puts life in perspective.
I need wit and banter for mental stimulation. He's a worthy opponent. and a dear friend of 31 years.
