Old friends / dear friends

Tonight I had a lovely chat

with an old friend!

She wasn't an old friend when I first met her

at the McTavish Business College

where we were both preparing ourselves

for the business world

and secretarial duties.

Norma's family lived in Vermilion

so she was batching it in one room in Edmonton

while she attended college.

You know how it is when you meet someone

and immediately 

there is an affection and a realization

that this is a kindred spirit!!!

We were only close in companionship for a couple of dozen months

but it is a friendship that has lasted

since those long ago years we were both in our late teens

until now, - when we are both

well into our nineties.

The phone calls that put me in touch with her these days

bring back so many memories

of the times we spent together in those early years....

lunching together, haunting gift card shops

and china and linen stores.

hiking by the Saskatchewan River

with frying pan and pork chops

(as an aside, I was hiking with Norma when I met Charles and seduced him

with pork chops and fried potatoes and niblets)

Norma and I were both part of a group of girls

who regularly hosted dances for servicemen/

(where she met her future husband)

It is a friendship I treasure

and am so grateful for.

The oldest friend I have alive!

And the dearest one left......