It's been a long 12 years

Where I come from there is one thing that brings families and friends together that can also drive them apart. While my home state lies in the Bible Belt, there is only one religion. We worship in different houses...large raucous houses...and wear our faith on our sleeves. We show our true colors, some red, some gold, many choose from shades of blue. But we all agree there is only one true sport.

My color is a blue so light it matches the heavens. If you're not from my home state you might even call it Sky Blue. We know better and call it by it's true name.

(slight digression here...I'm having a hard time with this post. You'll have to bear with me but I really don't want the search engines to find this post. I'm still bad at the fake name things so this is going to be hard for me).

We have a poorly deserved reputation for drinking wine and eating cheese, perhaps even politely clapping when we should be cheering wildly. Make no mistake about it: there is not a fan today who has any voice left.

The last time we had this kind of success was exactly 12 years ago. There was the same jubiliation and rejoicing. I was many miles from the action then, just like last night.

You see, I'd moved far from my home to a strange city in the desert. I watched the game on tv with some friends--a few new, some old. I felt homesick for that special street at the top of the hill.

That's when I got the call. My best friend called from the center of the crowd. She spoke of bonfires and craziness. She said she called so at least my voice could be there and I could be part of it.

That's just what best friends do, right? No big deal.

Now, times have changed. I'm a lot older. I had no desire to be in large crowds of celebrants. I was still homesick. But this year I was so much more heartsick than homesick.

I knew I wouldn't be getting a call. She died very unexpectedly about a month after that call. We talked a few more times before her accident, but the last call that truly stands out was that night.

I spent a lot of time thinking about her this weekend. I still miss her so very much. We'd only been friends for a few years but some people you just click with and know will be in your life forever. She was one of those. Ironically, I now live where she would have moved that summer. She never got a chance to meet the Mister, but would have loved him too.

I've been composing this post in my head for several days. I wanted to talk about so many happy memories. I'm just not feeling that today. I'll come back on another day and write all the good stuff. Plenty of time for that, right?

Today I'm just wishing the phone would ring. At least I know she was cheering the boys in light blue last night...and is raspy-voiced today wherever she is now. Just like the rest of us.

Comments

[Emily]

I'm sorry about your friend Millie. It's tough. We lost a close friend in a plane crash this past December and the grief is still with us. There are days I just want our friend back.

Thinking of you.

[yellowgirl]

Sorry about your friend.

Just wanted to drop a line to say that
I currently live in that certain not quite "sky" blue place and enjoyed thinking back 12 years to when I was an innocent u-grad and had no idea I'd be surfing IF blogs right now.....