Little Bit 3

Friends

Pat and I are going to Newport, RI tomorrow.  Newport in February I hear you say? Place selection is part of a longer story, but we’re going to meet our other two best friends.  We live all over the country and we try to be together as often as possible, but it has been two years since last we met.

Two of us have lost parents since our last meeting.  There will be hugs and condolences and probably tears.  Then there will be laughter, loud, raucous laughter, eating, drinking and talking, talking, talking, possibly followed by more talking. Other patrons will be  driven out of restaurants by the energy field that we generate when we are together, also by the noise.

These women know things about me my children will never know and they know things about my family.

And so it was with my parents and their best friends and your parents and their best friends.  You remember, the ones who aren’t really family, but who you called  Aunt and Uncle when you were growing up.  If you are lucky enough that your parents’ friends are still alive talk to them.  If not, talk to the friends of your older relatives.  They’re usually far more pleasant about being interviewed than your blood relatives and they know things, all kinds of things.