That very first bestie…

I lucked into my first BFF-ship…

Her name is Melanie and she was born next door to me, 9 days before I turned one. Her family was like family to me. In fact, well before I really understood anything about love, relationships, etc- I was determined I would marry her brother. Years after that passed, she snuck away for quiet moments of kissing (i think) with my cousin. If adolescence were a soap opera, our lives would have had all of the elements…

We lived lifetimes with our Barbies, did sleepovers with all of the sleepover things 80’s kids did, played Atari (because we are old and that’s what you did, as a kid, when you’re old) and used our imagination to tape record ourselves playing all sorts of crazy things like Funeral, Erotic (or what we thought was naughty and fun, but really, we were dumb) storytelling, etc… We Parent-trapped our parents when a grudge between them (IOW: my bi-polar mom) wouldn’t allow us to hang out… We spent hundreds of hours slamming our bellies against one another, only the chain link fence dividing our homes between us- just talking, until the fence was so stretched out that it barely served a purpose…

When I finally had the courage to tell someone about the dark abuses happening in my home, this sweet little barely eleven year old girl was where I turned. When my journey took me into the care of a Children’s Group Home, she was faithful to write letters and keep in touch.

So many years have passed and our lives took us on very different journeys but I still hold Melanie (and her entire family) so dear to me. There is a special place, within my heart, reserved for the best of the best- and that is their VIP suite.

I think, with the hindsight of age, what makes this relationship so special is time. Not only the length of time we’ve been friends, but the things which our portions of time have held. I wish I knew her kids better, I wish she knew mine. There are things that I wish would be different because I’ve seen (thanks, old age) what a gift this friend has always been. Plus, she’s funny, and gorgeous and simply an amazing woman. I am so lucky to have lived a life where she was my lifelong friend.

Smallfoot is a film telling the tale of an unexpected friendship. (I am not an animated film lover but CAN NOT WAIT for this movie!) Have you seen the trailer? (Go ahead, I’ll wait!)

Synopsis: 

 An animated adventure for all ages, with original music and an all-star cast, “Smallfoot” turns a myth upside down when a bright young yeti finds something he thought didn’t exist—a human.

News of this “smallfoot” throws the simple yeti community into an uproar over what else might be out there in the big world beyond their snowy village, in an all new story about friendship, courage and the joy of discovery.

“Smallfoot” stars Channing Tatum (“The LEGO® Batman Movie,” the “Jump Street” films) , Zendaya (“Spider-Man: Homecoming”), Common (“Selma”), LeBron James (upcoming “Space Jam 2”), Danny DeVito (“The Lorax,” Oscar nominee for “Erin Brockovich”), Gina Rodriguez (“Jane the Virgin”), and Yara Shahidi (TV’s “Black-ish”).  It debuts in theaters on September 28.

Do you have any special childhood friendships? I’d love for you to share!