Friends
Copyright 2004 by Suzy Wurtz
Mac was my first friend. He lived
around the corner, but his property was perpendicular to mine. Our back gate
opened into his backyard. We have photos of Mac and me on our way to a birthday
party at age three and on the first day of kindergarten at age five. We walked
to kindergarten together every day and played outside the rest of the day.
Mac’s sister, Judy, was two years younger and soon we were
able to play as a threesome. Mac’n’Judy became one word as I spent most of my
waking hours with them. We loved the Peanuts comic strips, dug large holes in a
nearby field that we called “forts,” went sledding in dangerous places, rode our
bikes down steps (don’t tell my parents; they still don’t know), played tree-tag
in their fruit orchard, fell off their swing set while trying various acrobatic
feats, wrote and performed several plays for anyone who would watch, and sang
silly songs into the night. Most importantly, we saved our money all year so
that we could buy fireworks for the neighborhood July 4th party at
their house.
In first grade, I had added a school friend, Serena, to the
mix occasionally. Mac & I met Serena in first grade. Serena and I we were often
“in trouble” at our Catholic school for the serious crime of talking to each
other too much. Serena moved to another state in 5th grade, but she
and I continued to correspond once a month during grade school, high school,
college, and adult life—quite a rare correspondence. Email now makes it even
easier.
As we got a little older, Mac was more interested in sports
and spent more time with a male neighbor pal, but Judy and I became
inseparable. The three of us still hung out often, but it was Judy and I who
whispered about cute boys and wondered if The Monkees would ever come to town.
Mac & Judy continued to live behind me throughout high
school. Different high schools and different interests affected our frequent
visits. Though we still enjoyed occasional time together, we had each found new
school friends. Mac left the hometown at 18; I moved at 20. Though my parents
(and other relatives) stayed friends with Mac & Judy’s parents, I hadn’t talked
to Judy in many years; and I hadn’t seen Mac since the summer after high
school. Then, their father died a few years ago and I made a condolence call to
Mac in California. We talked for a long time and began to email each other,
catching up on many years of information and sharing our current lives. Judy
and I emailed once or twice, too. When their mom died, I got an email right
away, and felt connected as though we had never lost touch.
Recently, I got to see these three, my longest-time friends.
(I hesitate to say “oldest friends” as we near the half-century mark.) This
summer, my 13 year old and I embarked on a train trip to Ashland, Oregon, for
Mac’s wedding. On the way, we stopped overnight in Portland, Oregon, and stayed
with Serena, now a dentist. My child laughed at our stories of girlhood antics
and of Beatlemania.
A few days later in Ashland, I again enjoyed both the past
and the present. Though Mac was busy being the groom, he and his fiancé, Jenny,
took time to treat us as special guests. His sister, Judy (now called Jude),
and I couldn’t stop talking, just like when we were my daughter’s age. The
morning of the wedding, Mac & Judy’s respective children (in their 20’s) took my
young teen with them on a white-water raft trip and treated her as though she
was their kid sister.
During the wedding reception, I had a moment with Mac. I
thanked him for “renewing” our friendship. He smiled, shook his head, and said
quietly, “The friendship was never gone.”
I believe it was Thomas Jefferson who said, “I find as I grow
older, I loved best those I loved first.”
When I first read the quote many years ago, I was sure that
Jefferson only meant romantic love. But after my week seeing Serena, Mac, and
Judy again, I know that it applies to our special, childhood friendships as
well.
|
Previous Column | |Next
Column |
Back to Top
