This is Crystal (and Isla--week one).
My first memory of Crystal is in the fourth grade. We were in P.E. class stretching on the gym floor. She was very flexible and I was jealous. I also noted her eyes sparkled. She invited me to her birthday party later that year and I gifted her with a new looking doll I found in my mom's sewing room. My mom was on vacation and this was the best I could do. She said she liked it, but it wasn't nearly as popular as the doll that could eat and poop from Catherine.
In the sixth grade Crystal and I were in Mrs. Ness's class together. She called me one night to remind me to bring a treat to the class party the next day. She said she was going to bring "Crystal Pepsi" because that was her name. I thought she was very cool for sharing a name with a soda. The idea of drinking Becca Pepsi sounded pretty sweet to me.
Sixth grade marked the year Crystal became my best friend. She was silly and creative and liked to talk until it was very, very late at night. She had a hard time falling asleep and carried extreme anxiety that she was the only person in the world awake. I was more than happy to ease her fear and stay awake until our eyelids cemented asleep. We talked about boys, friends, and our families. We analyzed our lives and our goals and made promises to each other. Crystal wanted us to hold each other accountable to our goals and morals and in time we became "accountability partners." She helped me stay true to the person I wanted to become.
She liked to play, a lot, and my adolescent years are gifted with many silly moments of dress-up, acting, door-to-door salesmanship, singing, and dancing. I was never the singer or dancer Crystal was, but she was very kind to film my rendition of Mariah Carey's "Love Takes Time" over and over again. After many hours spent at her home Crystal's parents and even her grandparents gradually morphed into my own pseudo-parents and grandparents. During a vacation to her grandparent's home in San Diego her grandpa drove us all over Southern California. He took us to Disney Land, San Diego Wild Animal Park, a Charger's game, the beach. I learned what hogie sandwiches were and tasted Pringles for the first time. Her grandma played Hearts with us in the evenings and gave me her darling vintage red gingham shirt. I still wear it to this day. I also love the smell of cigarette smoke because it reminds me of her grandma, beautiful Dorothy Messer, smiling easily and making me feel like a real granddaughter.
Crystal is now almost 26. She is married to a good man, Chris, and lives only 20 minutes from me. They are very busy with their jobs, their church, and active social lives. I am very busy with my budding family, my church, and well, not so active social life. When I am a bad friend and neglect to return her phone calls she doesn't need an explanation. The other day she said "Becca, I understand. Your first priority is God, second Billy, and third your children. That puts me somewhere down in fourth or fifth. I know you love me."
Ladies and gentlemen, that is a good best friend. One who always assumes the best in you. Crystal, I do love you. I may be very busy with the joys and tedium of motherhood but I will never stop loving you--or needing you. I can't wait for Friday night. We will have fun. Here is to 13 more years of silliness and friendship.
And,
Your eyes still sparkle,
(awww cheesy as always...)
Becca
My first memory of Crystal is in the fourth grade. We were in P.E. class stretching on the gym floor. She was very flexible and I was jealous. I also noted her eyes sparkled. She invited me to her birthday party later that year and I gifted her with a new looking doll I found in my mom's sewing room. My mom was on vacation and this was the best I could do. She said she liked it, but it wasn't nearly as popular as the doll that could eat and poop from Catherine.
In the sixth grade Crystal and I were in Mrs. Ness's class together. She called me one night to remind me to bring a treat to the class party the next day. She said she was going to bring "Crystal Pepsi" because that was her name. I thought she was very cool for sharing a name with a soda. The idea of drinking Becca Pepsi sounded pretty sweet to me.
Sixth grade marked the year Crystal became my best friend. She was silly and creative and liked to talk until it was very, very late at night. She had a hard time falling asleep and carried extreme anxiety that she was the only person in the world awake. I was more than happy to ease her fear and stay awake until our eyelids cemented asleep. We talked about boys, friends, and our families. We analyzed our lives and our goals and made promises to each other. Crystal wanted us to hold each other accountable to our goals and morals and in time we became "accountability partners." She helped me stay true to the person I wanted to become.
She liked to play, a lot, and my adolescent years are gifted with many silly moments of dress-up, acting, door-to-door salesmanship, singing, and dancing. I was never the singer or dancer Crystal was, but she was very kind to film my rendition of Mariah Carey's "Love Takes Time" over and over again. After many hours spent at her home Crystal's parents and even her grandparents gradually morphed into my own pseudo-parents and grandparents. During a vacation to her grandparent's home in San Diego her grandpa drove us all over Southern California. He took us to Disney Land, San Diego Wild Animal Park, a Charger's game, the beach. I learned what hogie sandwiches were and tasted Pringles for the first time. Her grandma played Hearts with us in the evenings and gave me her darling vintage red gingham shirt. I still wear it to this day. I also love the smell of cigarette smoke because it reminds me of her grandma, beautiful Dorothy Messer, smiling easily and making me feel like a real granddaughter.
Crystal is now almost 26. She is married to a good man, Chris, and lives only 20 minutes from me. They are very busy with their jobs, their church, and active social lives. I am very busy with my budding family, my church, and well, not so active social life. When I am a bad friend and neglect to return her phone calls she doesn't need an explanation. The other day she said "Becca, I understand. Your first priority is God, second Billy, and third your children. That puts me somewhere down in fourth or fifth. I know you love me."
Ladies and gentlemen, that is a good best friend. One who always assumes the best in you. Crystal, I do love you. I may be very busy with the joys and tedium of motherhood but I will never stop loving you--or needing you. I can't wait for Friday night. We will have fun. Here is to 13 more years of silliness and friendship.
And,
Your eyes still sparkle,
(awww cheesy as always...)
Becca
1 comment:
I've been able to meet some of Rebecca's friends and they are gems, hey rhymes. However I would like them to know that I did meet a NICE VICTORIA"S SECRET SALESCLERK - AMAZING!
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