one of my anchors in the storm

Some friendships are slow to form.  Sometimes you have one common ground that isn’t quite spacious enough to accommodate two, but together you chart new territories, take the time to discover other commonalities and make the effort to build a friendship.

On the other hand, some people you meet and connect with instantly.  Given my penchant for serendipity, this is my favorite kind of friendship.  I’m a big fan of the instant connection, the sparks flying, the easy sharing, when your heart feels safe enough to open within hours of meeting someone.  Call it kindred spirits, soul mates or someone who may have been your uncle or wife or dog in a past life… whatever it is, it’s meant to be.

That’s how it happened for Frannie & I.  She was my boss at Venus Envy but it never felt like a work relationship.  From the very first day, you could find us laughing in a room full of dildos and vibrators and anything else your heart (or should I say erotic zone) desired.  And we’ve been friends ever since.

Frannie keeps me in check by asking the question: “so, how are you really doing?”  She’s not only ready to celebrate my joys but she’s also there to hear the messy stuff.  And she always knows exactly what to say, even if it’s only geez, I don’t know what to say except that’s really shitty.  Sometimes there are no answers, no quick fixes, but knowing that you have an ally, someone who gets you and doesn’t try to sugar coat what is essentially a crappy situation, is comforting.

Now, I must share a story that Frannie wrote a while back, after she had vacationed with her sister and four girlfriends in Sarasota.  As I mentioned, her sense of humor is one of the many reasons why I love her so much and this paints that side of her quite perfectly (Hope you don’t mind me sharing this, Frannie.  I can already imagine you saying, with a smile on our face, oh you little bitch – ha ha).

Sadie and I woke through the night as we often do, and lay in bed chatting and giggling.  Feeling thirsty, I got out of bed and padded naked to the kitchen to get us a glass of orange juice.   As I was bent over the ice cube dispenser on the fridge in walked Chris, took one look at her sister standing in the kitchen naked and burst out laughing, as did Sadie.  But the really funny part happened when Sadie and I went back to bed and she recalled a joke that went like this:

An old man and an old woman were living in a nursing home and struck up a friendship.  The first day they had coffee together, the second day lunch, and the third went for a walk.   On the fourth day the old guy summoned up his courage and asked his lady friend if they could have sex, and she accepted on the condition they go to her room where she would feel more comfortable.  When they got to the room the old fellow undressed quickly and hopped into bed where he watched the old lady as she slowly undressed. When she was almost nude, she stopped and said, ”Oh, I should probably warn you; I have acute angina”. He replied, “Well, I certainly hope so because those are the ugliest Goddamn tits I’ve ever seen!”

Ha ha.   Funny joke, right?  My question to little Miss Stacey was, “So what about my naked body reminded you of that joke?”  Oh, my God, I’m laughing as I write this.

That is Frannie.  True blue, strait shooter, funny girl, most loyal & kind friend a girl could ever ask for.  And it’s her birthday today! I wish I could be there to share a bottle of wine with her and conversations peppered with giggles for hours on end.

Happy Birthday, Frannie!  I am blessed beyond words to have you as a friend, a guide, a confidante, a source of light and laughter…  Thank you for all that you do and all that you are.

“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” – Anais Nin