Long Term Friendships

Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow ripening fruit.
— Aristotle

So my friend Maria and I have known each other since high school, aka the early 80s for me. We kept in touch after high school, after I got married and after I moved 1100 miles away. We call each other a few times a year and I see her every time I am visiting my parents.

One of our earliest, fondest memories is of a time shortly after Maria got her license. I should mention that Maria is what one might call a little high strung. She is always full of energy and ready to jump right on something as soon as it is mentioned.

Anyway, Maria needed some practice driving on the highway. I was trying to help her learn to merge and told her to move on over into the first lane of traffic, which she did. Right over the concrete strip between the on ramp and the right hand lane. One of Maria's best traits is that she can laugh at herself. We still crack up at the thought of "Merging Maria".

In a long term friendship such as ours, things apparently don't change much over the years. Twenty seven years later, Maria is still having driving issues. Last night we headed to the movies and there was a lot of traffic due to a concert in the same area as the movie theater. As we sat not moving, I saw that there was a right turn lane into the shopping area where we were headed and told her to move over to the breakdown lane and head up to the turn lane. Well, there was also a sidewalk separated from the breakdown lane by cones. As we headed toward the turn lane, she asked if I thought her car would fit. I thought she was nuts. "Of course your car will fit", I thought until I realized she was talking about the sidewalk! She was about to maneuver her car on to the sidewalk then turn right from there.

I am glad Maria and I have had such a long friendship but I think I will offer to drive next time.