Back in the Day

In my last post I spoke of my friend Karen and our recent telephone visit. With our 50th high school reunion coming up, we found ourselves revisiting those days.

We met in the summer of 1957 and became fast friends. We each had another very good friend and when school started we discovered that it was the same person. Karen, Dolly and I became a threesome that drove our mothers up the wall.

Karen and I were a short walk from each other. I loved going to her house. When I'd spend the night her mom would make a hobo stew for us. She threw ground beef, veggies, and who knows what else into 1# coffee cans; I don't remember how she cooked them, but I thought they were delicious. This was the era of the book "Peyton Place" and "Valley of the Dolls" which we read together and kept hidden between the mattress and box springs. That was considered pretty lurid stuff then and we'd probably be grounded yet today if our moms had found those books.

I lived in an apartment complex that had once been navy housing. The apartments were above open garages. It was the ideal place for parties. Now, if I could have gotten my mom to keep my little sister upstairs it would have been perfect.

During the school year we took "home study" for the last period of the day and raced to another friend's home to watch American Bandstand. Then it was on to Reimer's Ice Cream Parlor for french fries and malteds. Dolly's dad had been an army officer, consequently we had access to Fort Mac' (army base) for the "Teen Canteen". It was typical "Happy Days". We even had our very own Fonzie; leather jacket and all.

During the summers we hung out at Dolly's since she had a pool in her backyard. The beach was fine for seeing and being seen but too windy and chilly for swimming. And we could be select about who we shared this special place with. Dolly's mom used to make frozen daiquiris for us and we thought we were really hot stuff. It was years before we found out there was no rum or any other liquor in them.

After graduation we each went our own way and then back again. We saw each other through some less than auspicious relationships and when they ended we avoided the "I told you so's," we simply offered support. We were there for marriages and divorces. We rotated maternity clothes, baby clothes and furniture. We babysat for each other. When the job I had demanded that I work late hours at the end of the month Auntie Karen took my kids trick or treating with her kids. As they grew older, our kids went to school together.

In time, we went our separate ways again. But we stayed in touch and were there for each other during the tough times. When one of us lost a parent, the other two were there. When my mom died, we hadn't seen each other in a few years and after the service we went to my sister's for the reception and spent the afternoon in her bedroom having another reunion and catching up. When my husband died, they were both here the weekend of the service and doubled back later for a long weekend. It was the last time I saw Dolly. Karen and I have since taken road trips and spent occasional holidays together.

It's a friendship that's lasted more than half a century. It's still going strong and we're still making plans and making memories.