I have this spectacular friend named Holly. She's the lovely Mama to be in this picture. (Jill is on the right, and she's just as lovely, but this blog isn't about her since I didn't know her when I was a child!)
Holly moved into the house across the street from me when I was 4 (I think) and we were fast friends. Yes, our friendship started as one of convenience, but we quickly learned that forces stronger than real estate landed us so close to each other! When we were little girls, I admired Holly with every ounce of my being. She was beautiful, she made me laugh, she wasn't afraid to be genuine. She would spend hours with me getting into silly, little girl trouble, telling me ghost stories, watching Beaches on repeat, and melting crayons to decorate coins. Unbeknownst to me then, my life was forever blessed when she moved to Denver.
Holly and I spent many years together wandering the Northside. We walked to and from school together, chased cute boys, ate Pop Tarts off the sidewalk, raced our bikes on the cement pad, owned the tether ball court, coaxed her brother into the pile of leaves we raked into the middle of the street, and marched around the block on Trouble-Doggie missions. The whole time we were occupied with those activities, we had a Pocket Rocker soundtrack.
I don't remember all the tapes we had, but I vividly remember two of them. The songs are listed below. Please, while listening to these songs, imagine Holly and I with our bony knees, messy hair, fluorescent clothes, and childish laughs. Also, imagine us doing the Egyptian dance, because it happened. I promise.
On a different note, Holly and I suffered the worst fate that an un-driver's-licensed pair of best friends could possibly suffer...a move to a new city. The frequency in which we were able to see each other caused a rift in our friendship, but fortunately didn't demolish it. We saw each other randomly throughout the years, which I greatly value, but just recently we have gotten to spend a lot more time together. I love having her back in my life. I am just as enamored with her now as I was then! Plus, being around her brings up parts of my childhood that I almost lost because of my decaying memory. Over a watery session of aerobics in Berkeley's pool last week, Holly reminded me of this Tiffany song. It's amazing how we can just pick up where we left off. I wouldn't be surprised if you found us singing, "I think we're alone now" at the top of our lungs sometime in the near future! (Oh wait...we already did!)
ADDENDUM: Holly and I have both found ourselves wrapped up in watching episodes of the Wonder Years. Right after I wrote this blog, I watched the series finale and these are Kevin Arnold's last words. I think they're fitting. It's like Holly and I are Kevin and Paul. Like I said, things never turn out exactly the way you plan. Growing up happens in a heartbeat. One day you’re in diapers; the next day you’re gone, but the memories of childhood stay with you for the long haul. I remember a place, a town, a house like a lot of other houses, a yard like a lot of other yards, on a street like a lot of other streets. And the thing is, after all these years, I still look back with wonder.
lovemaura
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