wandering lioness
Only suiting for me to write about you on a very pertinent January 13th, after our chaotic voice memo conversation last night.
You have those friends in life that just surprise you, and I have to say, you’ve always surprised me. That’s what you’ve been great at.
Maybe the surprise started that day when you were 16 and you ran into the lunch room and came and jumped on my lap and exclaimed in a very dramatic squeal, “BRI, I HAVE A STRESS FRACTURE TOO!”
It could have been then, or the day that you stole a shopping cart and drove it around in your convertible.
I don’t know though, maybe the time you really shocked me was when you just picked up and moved to Florida and we were all like, “excuse me?” And I was sorta like, wait, can I do that too?
Wait no, actually, it was that time in Winnemucca when we got a flat tire coming back from Monterey after skydiving and you were so mad that you just left the hotel room to walk around the town alone. For a second there I was like, “hmm…is she ever coming back?”
I’m laughing now because I’m remembering that one time I came to your neighborhood and talked to you at a church building and you very carefully explained to me that you were sneaking out of your house to go to church because you didn’t want your family to think that you were going back. For real though, whenever something comes out of your mouth I really just don’t know what it will be, and I love that about you.
Actually, no, the real surprise for me was probably when we continued writing that blog to each other for 10 years. If I had my tumblr password, I swear I’d still keep writing to you. I guess I just have to continue our tradition here.
Now I’m laughing hysterically because I’m remembering the time that you were in Seattle for only like 3 hours and somehow we ended up calling Brandon to let him know I’m a lesbian. Oh, the THEATRICS.
This is why you and I are great together. Just a flamboyant leo and a dramatic pisces expressing through the world together.
And the surprises never end to this day. A 4 hour FaceTime conversation? Me laughing awkwardly asking if you are okay while you vomit champagne at 2 am in Chile?
This is why I absolutely want to go to Italy with you next month. There is no other person I’d rather experience the world with.
I’ve never had a friend like you. Someone who isn’t like me at all, yet I can say anything and you never judge me. I love that we hold each other in our heartbreak and ridiculous stories. I love that we can talk about radical topics, and bond over our upbringing, and fantasize and reflect on the world together. I love that we can flow through all of our different states of being, and still know one another.
You’re in my family forever. Hell, we’ve made it this far and still like each other after everything, and all we ever do is laugh. About how stupid we are. Even about how smart and beautiful we are.
Honestly, you’re my best friend. And that’s not saying I don’t have other best friends, because I do. But damn, you and Brittney have really shown up for me, being there for me in intimate ways over such a large span of time, and I’m so fucking grateful.
